Getting Him to Smile
by loonylovegoodloveshp
Summary: It was just a dare. One stupid little dare, and now I was stuck with this pining feeling in my stomach, for him. I laughed bitterly to myself as I wondered if I could possibly have the same affect on him. It was stupid of me. Little did I know...I did.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: sadly, I do NOT own any part of JKR's wonderful stories, or I would be rolling in a giant pile of cash.

Getting Him to Smile

Ch. 1

Hermione's POV

It was late, about midnight, and Harry, Ron, and I had been roaming the halls of Hogwarts for quite some time. Being as it was a Saturday, well technically Sunday; all the teachers had decided to retire to their rooms, not knowing that when they did this, students practically went off of their hinges, roaming the dark forbidden halls. After walking around a bit more, my fear of being caught by a teacher disappeared, and Harry and Ron had never even bothered to become afraid of this happening in the first place. While I always tended to be the seemingly quiet one on these little adventures, tonight, that was just not the case. Harry, Ron, and I were laughing our heads off, making fun of the teachers, students, and anyone, really. Perhaps we had all just had one too many butterbeers.

"Hey, how about we play a game?" Ron suggested to us.

"Like what?" Harry and I curiously asked at the same time, looking at each other before bursting into fits of giggles. Ron wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Truth or Dare."

We all grinned. "Let's do it", Harry said, high fiving Ron. We then decided to find a quiet spot to play, where no one would run into us or better yet, a professor find us. A few minutes later, we found a small corner by a window, with a pleasant breeze, located close to the lavatories. "Here, quick!" I said, shuffling all of us into the small space. Once we were all settled, we decided to begin our game, Ron offering to go first. Harry smiled at me keenly, leaned over, and whispered in my ear what he thought we should dare Ron. I laughed out loud, and then turned to him.

"We dare you to….sashay into the girl's bathroom, and fix yourself up as a female Hogwarts student, _without_ the use of magic."

Ron glared at us, as if we were insulting his manhood by making him doing this. Hell, we probably were. Grumbling, he got up and walked towards the girl's bathroom. "Damn both of you", he said before going inside and shutting the door behind him. Harry and I laughed till our stomachs hurt. A few minutes later, we both heard a giant splash of water, and a yelp. We both stared at the door, and slowly, Ron came out scowling, hair in a messy ponytail atop his head, and _dripping_ wet. Harry basically died of laughter, while I clutched my stomach, gasping for air.

"Obviously, Moaning Myrtle thought you needed a little help Ron!" I wheezed out at him, tears streaming down my face while I tried to stop laughing.

"Oh sog off 'Mione", he told me, trying pretty hard not to laugh himself. "You're _so_ next", he whispered while drying himself off with his wand. After he finished that, and we had finally stopped laughing, Ron rejoined our little circle and began to think of a dare for me. Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid, and was actually going to accept his dare, no matter what it was.

"Do your worst", I told him, crossing my arms firmly. Harry looked shocked.

"Really Hermione? I never knew you were one for dares", he said, poking me in the shoulder. I smiled. Well tonight, I definitely was. "Blame it on the butterbeer." I told him, laughing.

"Got it!" Ron exclaimed, regaining our attention. He looked at me. "I dare you… to go into the haunted boy's lavatory, on the seventh floor…..and stay there, for as long as you can without getting freaked out. And no screaming." Harry laughed knowingly, looking at Ron.

I shivered internally. I had never been in boy's lavatory, not to mention a _haunted_ one. But I could do this! Especially if I had my wand-

"Oh, and I forgot to mention. No magic."

Shit. I was screwed.

I shook it off, refusing to show Harry and Ron that I was afraid. I could do this. I could do this…..couldn't I?

"Fine. That only seems fair, since you were splashed with toilet water by a female ghost, Ronald." In a haughty tone. Ron grinned satisfactorily.

"We'll see who's the smug one when you come running outta there, wont we Herms?" he replied as him and Harry laughed immaturely. I scowled.

Stupid boys.

As we stood outside of the boy's lavatory on the seventh floor, I began to realize how dark it was. I was never going to admit this to Harry and Ron, but I was scared. I wanted nothing more than to hide behind them and have them protect me. But I knew one thing. I wasn't a quitter. I never have been and never would be, and that's why I was going to do this. To prove them _wrong_. After all, I was a girl that had fought death eaters; I could sure as hell do this. Death eaters. Wow, thinking about them really wasn't helping my situation right now. I was yanked out of the thoughts when Harry cleared his throat.

"Anytime now I suppose?" he said.

"Shut up Harry", I retorted, giving him my sternest face. "Before I go in, I was just wondering, how am I supposed to get light when I don't have my wand? I can't possibly see in the dark."

"I'll take care of that, Herm, I wouldn't expect you to be in the dark", Harry replied, smiling at me. He had always been the more understanding one out of the two boys.

"You're helping her?" Ron asked him incredulously, eyes widening. Harry chuckled.

"Well you never said I couldn't. And besides, your bathroom wasn't _haunted_, Ron. "He replied. I opened the door, and Harry pointed his wand inside, giving the place a very small, dim shade of lighting.

"Thanks", I replied, walking into the place. Ron smirked.

"See you in a millisecond", he said.

"Ha. Ha. _Ha._" I replied sarcastically, before shutting the heavy door behind me. And then I was alone. I leant against the door, which seemed so heavy that it was probably soundproof, and it creaked, scaring me. I shivered again, taking hesitant steps. For as much as I could see, which was only a few feet ahead of me really, it seemed that there was a hallway that led into the bathroom area. Stepping quietly, in my head I sang lyrics from my favorite Muggle songs, which seemed to help. I walked straight into a spider's web, scaring the crap out of me. I wanted to scream loudly, but clamped my hand around my mouth, and backed up against the wall. _'No screaming'_, I remembered. After a few moments, I resumed my slow, feeble steps. It felt as if my knees were going to give way from under me. I was almost there, I reminded myself. Soon enough, as I reached the end of the hallway, which had taken me about five minutes to walk through, I began to hear things. I paused for a moment, listening intently. I heard shuffling about, as if someone were pacing, and then the water faucet turned on. I heard a bit of gasping, and sniffing. I heard water splashing. And steps. My body tensed. I definitely hadn't been hearing things. Someone, maybe _something_, was definitely in there.

I wanted to turn and run, to bolt for the exit. But wouldn't they for sure hear me? I wondered if I wasn't fast enough, or if I fell, if they would come after me. Should I stay where I was? I wondered. Should I scream for help? None of these options would work, unless I wanted to be shred to pieces or of course, even better, killed. I sat there, beginning to hyperventilate, my palms sweating. I really wished that I had said no to this stupid dare. I heard a small whimper type noise, and I then realized that it was me who had done it. What if they had heard it? As my suspicions began to deepen, I heard the faucet being closed. The water stopped.

_Oh fuck. _

I had no other choice. I had to face it, whatever it was. As I slowly leant up against the wall, I braced myself, and took a glance behind the wall. Letting my eyes adjust to the darkness in there, where only the moon provided lighting, shining through the windows, I looked around for this mysterious figure. Slowly, I looked towards the back wall of the spacious bathroom. There under a window, sat a disheveled figure, with their head down, arms laid on their bent knees. A student.

A boy.

I gasped, quietly. I tried to realize who _he_ was, but I couldn't see his face. His shoulders shook a bit, causing his head to shift, his hair catching light from the moon, making it a shade of silvery, platinum. My eyes widened. It couldn't be. By now I hadn't realized it, but I was no longer hidden from him. He hadn't realized me standing there yet. Should I go now, while I had the chance? But obviously my mouth had a different idea.

"_Malfoy?_" I whispered.

With that, all the lights suddenly came on, blinding me. When I regained my sight, Malfoy was standing there, wand pointed at me. "It's you", he snarled. But he didn't come closer. I had to be careful, after all, it was Malfoy, and he had a wand, which was something I didn't have, due to the circumstances.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, but his tone had lessened somewhat. I didn't answer, but instead took in his appearance. His tie was undone, shirt disheveled, pants and socks. He looked paler than usual, and dead-tired. Though he stared at me meanly, I could see that behind that, there was something else in those icy grey-blue eyes of his. _Fear._

_Fear of me? _

I didn't know what was going on here, and I'm sure he didn't either, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. What was he trying to hide from everyone? From me? Subconsciously, I stepped closer to him. I felt this extremely sharp pang of pain to just….hold him. To tell him that everything was okay, and that he didn't have to hide from me. He looked weak and fragile, and most of all, broken. While I thought about this, I hadn't realized whether he was talking to me or not. I came out of my thoughts to see him still several steps away from me, almost across the room, wand still pointed at my head. I didn't want him to be afraid of me, I thought to myself. Did I know what I was going to do? No, definitely not. But it was worth a try…right?

Keeping the silence between us, I slowly began to walk towards him.

"Keep away from me", he said, jaw clenched. But I kept on walking towards him until I was inches away from his wand. "Did you hear what I just said Granger?" he asked me again, shocked that I was so close to him.

"Draco…." I heard myself whisper. His eyes softened when he realized that I had used his actual name. I always had really. The name 'Malfoy' was only used around Ron and Harry. I felt my fingers touch the tip of his wand, hesitantly, before moving towards his wrist. His eyes followed my hands, shocked. It was when I put his hand down and held it that I heard his wand clatter to the ground.

"What are you-"

And before I knew it, I was hugging him, tightly. I felt his body stiffen under my embrace, but I closed my eyes and hoped that this was going to work. My hands felt their way up to his shoulders to the back of his neck, my fingers resting in his hair. For once, I didn't feel afraid of him, or scared of him. I felt as if he were mine. It felt as if our past encounters with each other melted away and we were starting over.

It felt…._right_.

Slowly I felt him relax in my arms, and few moments later, I felt his hands snake tentatively around my waist and his head on my shoulder. I sighed, almost as if I was content, stroking his pale hair. What was this? What was this weird attachment that I felt towards him?

"Her…Hermione", I heard him say, his voice muffled by my hair. I took my head off of his chest and looked at him. He looked down shyly, as if he were embarrassed. I held his chin up, forcing him to look at me. I was smiling. And he….grinned? Draco Malfoy grinned? At me? Something was definitely wrong. Suddenly, he seemed brighter, and less morose. But he was still in a state of…..well, whatever he had been in before I got here. I didn't know what was happening, but all I could see was Draco's face getting closer and closer to mine until it couldn't get any closer, and his lips were on mine, and-

"Well then. This definitely wasn't a part of your dare at all, Hermione."

:O So this is my first Multi-Chaptered fanfic you guys! Well? What do you think? Let me know! :D


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything but the plot! Thank J.K. Rowling for the characters, and my mind for making them work how I want XD.

Ch. 2

I woke up the next day, shocked. What had happened last night? It definitely felt as if it was a dream, and I was having a hard time trying to convince myself that it hadn't actually happened. I freaking kissed Draco Malfoy.

A Slytherin.

A possible death eater, in Harry's eyes.

What the hell had I done?

'_Well he did kiss you first Hermione'_, I thought to myself. Oh, as if that was an excuse. But for some reason, I couldn't seem to bring myself to feel bad about it. However I did feel bad for Dra-Malfoy. As much as I didn't want to, I had remembered everything single thing of last night. I remembered my lips being caressed by his soft ones, before hearing Harry's clear, livid voice.

'_I was still in Malfoy's arms when I heard him. I turned, to see Harry and Ron standing coldly in front of us both, just a few meters away. I remembered Malfoy strangely tightening his grip around my waist. Ron was practically seething and made a move towards Malfoy with his wand, before Harry stopped him, and instead walked towards us. He tugged tightly on my shoulder, and suddenly I was in his arms instead. Malfoy knew not to cross Harry, and especially not at that moment. _

"_Now I know what was taking so long.", he said bitterly. _

_And with that, he turned a way, me having no choice but to follow him. With Harry and Ron slightly ahead of me, I decided to turn around before we turned the corner in the hallway. When I saw his face, I felt something inside me….crumble a little. The way he was looking at me…..it was as if the most inspiring idea he had ever had had vanished and that he would never be able to dream again. I turned away and ignored my wanting to run back into his arms. This wasn't supposed to happen.' _

After I had showered and dressed, I decided to meet Harry and Ron down at the great hall for breakfast. Although I was afraid of what they would say, but who else was I supposed to sit with? Lavender and Parvati? I didn't think so. Although they were my friends, they were sometimes so catty I could barely stand it. And of course Ginny would be there, and she would be able to convince the guys to forgive me! Then I remembered she was Harry's girlfriend. So forget about forgiveness for a moment. I pushed open the heavy doors to the great hall, and walked in.

Silence.

Everybody looked at me, and I knew it wasn't because I was extremely late. Maybe it was? I walked quickly, looking down until I reached the Gryffindor table. What was going on here?

"Hey guys", I said, quickly squeezing in next to Ginny.

"Hi.", she said rather briskly, before turning back to Harry and Ron, whom both said nothing. They obviously weren't ready to talk to me, and Ginny was siding with them. It wasn't even fair. All of them hadn't even bothered to hear my side of the story. Well….did I even I have one? I realized I wasn't hungry as I stared at the lonely blueberry muffin on my plate. I poured myself a cup of pumpkin juice instead and resorted to my not so wanted Plan B.

"Hi Lavender and Parvati", I smiled. They seemed a bit surprised, but included me in their conversation happily. Soon enough I zoned out after five minutes of hearing about the latest handbags and shoes, and I began to look around the hall. My eyes scanned table after table, looking at people laughing, talking about classes among other things. Just as I was about to move on to the next table, I bright blonde head caught my eye. I gasped internally, and forgot to breathe momentarily. I definitely wasn't prepared for that. I stared at him for a moment. He wasn't talking, but was turning an unbitten fresh green apple in his pale fingers. Every once in a while, he would look at Pansy and Blaise, who seemed to be arguing, but then would return to absentmindedly playing with his apple and the rim on his cup. I decided to look away before I was caught but-

Then he looked right at _me_.

Suddenly it felt as if he was right in front of me, his silvery, icy, grey-blue eyes seeping into my body and examining every fiber of my being. My hands tightened under the table. Suddenly, I shut my eyes for a moment, and when I looked again, he wasn't there. My eyes darted around quickly, and I saw a bit of his body before it disappeared behind the grand doors. When he left I exhaled and realized that I hadn't been breathing. I relaxed and slowly uncurled my fists. In each palm, there were five red half-mooned ridges drawn into my skin. I sighed, and looked at the door. It was unfair for a person to have such an effect on me. I didn't ask for this. I wondered if I should go after him, but he would've probably disappeared already. Slowly, my eyes reverted back to where he had been sitting at the table, even though he was no longer there.

But the apple was.

Second chapter you guys! So what do you think so far? Please comment and review if you can, it would really help! Constructive criticism is also welcomed!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my beloved plot!

Ch. 3

Draco's POV

I wished they would shut up. I wished they would all just _shut up_.

I sighed, looking at Pansy and Blaise as they argued fiercely, their voices combining with the ones in my head, making it almost unbearable for me to listen.

_Arguing over me._

I should have never told Blaise, but I had to tell somebody! I already had enough things pent up inside…-

"He can make his own decisions Pansy, and without you in them!" I heard Blaise say.

Pansy scoffed indignantly. "He most certainly cannot! He needs me! I'm his girlfriend!"

I wanted to laugh or sneer at her so bad, I bit the inside of my bottom lip till it was raw. Blaise thankfully, did it for me.

"Girlfriend? Who told you that? Because last time I checked, you two hooked up _once _in third year, and you've refused to leave him alone since!"

That was true. Although Pansy was incredibly beautiful, she was also unnecessarily clingy and not my type. Contrary to popular belief, Draco Malfoy does have a type. I wanted a girl that was charmingly beautiful, but not over that, smart, sophisticated, quirky and witty. Of course too witty would not be good, because there would always be the constant banter that I would quickly tire of. Or would I? When I thought of witty, I thought of smart, and when I thought of smart I thought of a bushy haired, constant talking, know it all-

Damn it. There it was again. I swear she's taking over my head. That stupid, idiotic, overbearing Gryffindor with the soft curls and warm chocolate eyes.

'_No_.' I repeated in my head. _'No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No-No'_-

"Draco?" I heard Blaise ponder, yanking out of my rancid thoughts of _her_. Thankfully, I looked at him, and noticed he had made a gesture towards Pansy underneath the table.

"Seriously Pansy, that's enough", I told her. My throat was dry and my voice nearly cracked. I hadn't said anything else all morning. And after this, I wasn't planning on talking the whole day. If I couldn't trust myself to keep my composure and not even dare to think about that stupid mudblood, then I would not speak to anyone until I could. Lucky enough for me, Pansy stormed of angrily, whining and muttering about how guys never told their women anything. Blaise turned to me, but I had already turned back to my plate.

"Now that she's gone, what are you going to do about all this? If word gets out that you've…-"Blaise lowered his voice into a whisper, "If word gets out that you've gone around willingly snogging a- a- certain _know it all Gryffindor_, then, then you're tarnished, gone, as clear as dust!" He snapped his fingers. I knew. I knew what would happen if word got out. But how on earth was that anyone's business? Besides, I trusted Blaise, and God knows I wouldn't dare let this get out. This was between me and her, and Blaise alone. No one else was to find out about it for as long as I lived. I had stopped listening to Blaise a long time ago. My eyes began to wander around the house tables lazily.

Suddenly, something jumped out at me. A head of bushy brown hair. Damn it all to hell. While trying to tear my eyes away, hers met mine. Instinctively, my fingers gripped the table so hard it hurt. After a few seconds, I watched as she shut her eyes for a few moments. I didn't know what was going on, but I had to get the hell out of here before she opened her eyes again. Leaving a flabbergasted Blaise, I fled from the table frantically, almost running to the doors. As soon as I was out, I took a moment to breathe, closing my eyes before starting for the dungeons. I couldn't figure out for the life of me what the hell was going on. I was at loss for words.

What was this witch doing to me?

Sorry guys, I know this chapter wasn't so great, but I figured I should have Draco's input somewhere. I just wish I didn't write him out to be such a wimp! But a wimp no longer! You'll see, and soon! Hey, I'm still learning XD. Reviews please? Love you all!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my idea!

Ch. 4

Hermione's POV

For the next three days, the same thing happened at breakfast. We would meet eyes, I would look away, and he would leave so fast it would seem as if he had apparated. And each time, I would be left fighting for air, and with burning palms.

It was on the third day that I decided enough was enough. I was going to put a stop to this, _today_. I refused to wonder after him any longer. As I watched him sullenly pick at his toast, I wondered how I would corner him. What would I say to him? _'Hey Malfoy, stop making me feel this way?'_ I didn't particularly think that would work so well. Suddenly, we met eyes again, and as usual, we sat there blatantly staring at one another. No matter how much I wanted to, I refused to look away. After a few moments, his gaze towards me changed, almost as if he was daring me to look away. The more he did this, the stronger my gaze on him got. Abruptly, he got up and briskly began to walk towards the door. I had to catch him. After his first couple of steps, I slipped out of my seat, and quickly went after him. He was all the way on the other side of the Hall, but it was a race of who could get to the door first, all the while staring at one another. He reached the door first, and immediately disappeared behind it. A few moments after, I did the same thing.

Not to my surprise, he was already halfway down the hallway, taking long, brisk strides. I ran. I literally ran after him, and when I was a few feet away, I stopped.

"Malfoy."

He slowed down, but didn't stop.

"Malfoy!"

Still, I walked quickly behind him. I didn't know whether I should reach out for him or not.

"Draco!"

He halted suddenly, and I almost ran into his back. There was only a stony silence and my harsh, labored breathing. After a few moments, he spoke.

"What. What is it?"

I paused. _Excuse me?_

Gathering my breath, I glared at him. What did he think this was? Did he think he could just kiss me and then pretend it never happened? I was so angry I was seething.

"What's going on?" was all I said. I wasn't about to let him get to me.

He turned to me, putting a blank mask over his face.

"Nothing. That's what. When are you going to stop chasing after me Granger?"

I clenched my fists.

"_Chase after you_, Malfoy? Quit the act will you? Will you once just try and realize that you're not better than anyone else? Just _once_?"

He smirked. He fucking _smirked_ at me.

"Oh that's rich!" I said. "Trying to be the wise guy after crying in an abandoned bathroom?" I scoffed. His face dropped. I couldn't believe I just said that.

"Why would you…?-"

"I'm sorry Draco. I didn't mean that. It's just that I-"

"You're bleeding." he said quietly, his eyes narrowing slightly. Before I could say anything, I felt his slightly cold hand on my wrist. I looked down at my wrists in his long, thin hands, and I realized that I was bleeding. I sighed to myself, looking at the blood trailing down my fingers, seeping from each of the half-moon ridges embedded in my palm. Draco brushed his hand over one of my veins and I jumped.

"Shhh, relax", he said, smiling slightly. Since he was taller than me, as he looked down I could see his long golden blonde eyelashes dusting over his icy blue eyes. And now that I looked at it, his hair was more of a creamy white blonde, with some platinum pieces in it. I watched as he took as his wand out and waved it over my hand, making the gouges in them vanish instantly. He looked at me, as if he were studying me. With him so close to me, I kept on forgetting to breathe. I exhaled loudly and he laughed quietly.

"What, do I make you nervous or something?" he said. He was still holding my wrist gingerly.

"No", I said hurriedly yanking my wrist out of his hands to bring it back to my side. He shook his head a bit, but said nothing. Slowly he backed away from me.

"About kissing you….it was stupid, and I shouldn't have done it.", he said to me. He put his wand back into his robes. "And if Potter and Weasel still have a problem with it, tell them not to get their panties in a bunch. Or they can come and try to hex me if they want."

I almost wanted to laugh. He looked at me, half bemused, and I couldn't help it. I smiled slightly.

"You're forgiven. We all do stupid things sometimes. No worries I suppose", I replied. He smiled a little less tightly, but looked like he wanted to say something else. I waited. He didn't. He turned and walked away, heading down the corner. I didn't chase after him again. What else was there to say to Draco? That I found his apology useless because I kind of wanted to kiss him again? Wait what?

What was he doing to me? I wondered. Pondering that thought, I turned back to the great hall. I could now eat in peace.

So what's going through your heads? Let me know! Reviews? Ideas? Anything is welcomed! Love you all!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot people!

Ch. 5

I woke up again, panting.

It was the second time that night that I had woken up due to this over fantasized, incredibly stupid…dream. It was _just_ a dream. I sat up in my bed, ruffling my sweaty sheets off of me. What time was it? I looked over to the clock on my bedside table. 5:00 AM. I slumped against my headboard, and sighed. The dream had been so unnerving….so…._real. _I recalled parts of it in my head.

_I moaned as Draco's strong, light hands ran down my body, sliding over my waist, my legs. He was kissing my neck and I arched my back as my head hit the bedpost. He looked into my eyes for a moment, as if he were studying me, before meeting my lips slightly, barely brushing against them. His lips felt sensual and warm on mine. He kissed me everywhere his lips could reach on the upper part of my body, his fingers creating odd shapes on my bare stomach, his hands the only things between our bodies, which were combined. The feeling of him inside me and all around me was euphoric. He was fire and I was ice, and his kisses were melting my body, making me feel warm, warm everywhere. My fingernails dug into his shoulder blades and back. He was whispering sweet nothings in my ear, I love you, and I love you, over and over again until a feeling of ultimate bliss hit all parts of my body like a shockwave. I heard our moans blend together; breaking the barrier of sound in my head and making me feel dizzy and breathless. __**I love you**__, he said again as he rested his head against me. I could feel his cool breath on my chest and the feel of his silken hair running through my fingers- _

Yes.

That was quite possibly the most unnerving part of it all. The feeling of his hair in my hands.

A few hours later, I walked into The Great Hall for breakfast with Ron and Harry. I felt at ease. Both of them were going on about some recent Quidditch Game, The Chudley Cannons against The Holy-head Harpies.

"Chudley Cannons?" I heard Harry scoff towards Ron. "They might as well rename themselves The Cuddly Cannons after that gruesome match."

I couldn't help but laugh as Ron grumbled, muttering to a nearby Seamus and Dean that next time, he wouldn't make any bets against Harry. Walking to our table, I was just about to scold both Harry and Ron for gambling on such petty things as a game, when we happened to walk past Draco and his cronies. I froze, standing there like a blubbering idiot in the middle of The Great Hall. As he passed me, it seemed as if time went by in milliseconds, growing slower and slower as he passed me. I watched him pass within inches of me, his blonde fringed hair perfectly in place, and a perfectly brooding face to match it. He didn't look at me once, thank heavens, but was too busy trying to ignore Crabbe and Blaise as they, by the looks of it, talked his ear off. A few seconds later, he had disappeared behind the great doors, and I felt like I could breathe again. Seeing him after that dream felt unreal. It felt as if I had intruded into someone's private space, and revealed something that was to be shown to no one. I didn't know whether to be angry or…or… Damn him! All of this was his fault! If anything, he was invading _my _space, ruining _my _days with constant thoughts of what happened between us, and why, and him and- and-

"Hermione! MOVE!" I heard Ron's as he lightly shoved me. I jumped harshly knocking into an unknowing girl that happened to be walking past. In horror, I watched as I knocked her over, stepping on her foot which caused her to lose her balance and crash into a table, knocking down a pitcher of pumpkin juice and three trays of toast. Goblets and plates clattered noisily to the floor and the Hall went still.

Damn him. Damn him to Hell.

Well what do you guys think so far? I know, I know it was short! But probably in the next chapter, I hope to have Draco and Hermione meet up in another encounter. We'll see how it goes! Constructive criticism is welcomed, just no flames please! This is all I have so far, but I plan to be updating soon! If anyone has any ideas for this story at all, please let me know, and I will take them into consideration! Love you all! 3 Review Please! :D


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my plot, but if I did own the HP series, I would have written a Dramione scene somewhere in there! But alas, a girl can only dream! ; D that's what Fanfics are for!

Ch. 6

Hermione's POV

I was fuming. Absolutely fuming. It was that kind of anger that frustrated you so much that you wanted to cry angry tears because of it. I stormed down the corridor, thanking Merlin that everyone was still at breakfast, so that they wouldn't see me in this wretched state. After helping up the poor girl and cleaning up the mess, while _everyone watched_, I had gotten out of there as fast as I could. I was so embarrassed. Nothing like that had ever happened to me, and it was all because of _him_. Why was this happening to me? I knew for a fact that I was not enamored, nor was I obsessed with him, nor would I _ever _be. But somehow for almost a week now he had managed to have this effect over me. This certain draw I had to him.

Did he have it for me as well? I laughed at myself, still furious. The fact that I would even think that I could have this effect on Draco Malfoy was simply hilarious, stupid. Dumb, even. After basically screaming the password at The Fat Lady, she let me in, and I continued to my private set of room and bath, given to me as the perks for being Head Girl. Taking off my shoes, I wandered into the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror. My hair had pieces of eggs and bacon in it, and the whole entire front of my cardigan was soaked with a liquid that I knew was pumpkin juice. I sighed, going over to the tub and turning on the hot water.

'_Did I really deserve this?'_ I thought to myself as I shed my clothes and entered the almost scalding water. Once I was used to it, it helped me relax.

To be humiliated in front of the whole school, just because of some stupid that had happened between me and Malfoy? It's not like I _asked_ for it to happen. He had kissed _me_, not the other way around. Now it seemed as if I was some starry eyed Lavender Brown, lusting over him? I wasn't! I was just trying to figure all this out…..and I didn't seem to be doing such a good job.

….

Draco's POV

That stupid girl. Did she really think it hadn't been noticeable that she had been staring at me when I walked by? Maybe if I had looked at her, there would've been a possibility she'd have fainted, I thought to myself. Not that she would've needed that to help her create the mess she had this morning.

_Enough._

I wouldn't allow myself to think about her anymore. This was all her fault; I tried to convince myself, even though I knew the fault was entirely mine. Well maybe not entirely. If she had just kept her nose out of peoples business, then maybe this would've never happened in the first place! Who did she think she was, just barging into an abandoned men's lavatory at that time of night anyway?

'_Oh, is if that were any excuse.' _

I wished it was. Maybe I should've just hexed her right then and there. I hated the way my brain worked on its own accord sometimes. I couldn't even bring myself to _not _think about her for two seconds out of the day. I gazed over to her empty seat in the large Charms classroom. Scar-head and Weasel were there, as expected, whispering to each other urgently. I didn't even have to guess that it was about her. Potter met eyes with me for a quick second, glaring. I sneered, turning back to my paper. I sat there for a moment, in utter shock. I scanned over the first few lines.

_The Figures of Eighteenth Century Charms Practices_

_By: Draco Malfoy_

_Over the years, the practices of Charm folk Magic has grown into an everlasting stable in the Wizarding World. While many Witches and Wizards have disagreed over this form of magic for hundreds of years_

_I wish to believe that somewhere in between the feuds, which this magic has brought_

_I can't stop thinking about it. I just can't. I won't allow myself to think about her anymore. This is all her fault._ _If she had just kept her nose out of peoples business, then maybe this would've never happened in the first place! I wish I could hex her for making me think about her all the time. I can't stop thinking about how she said my name, and how it felt to kiss her. Electric sparks flooded down into my_-

What in Merlin's name! My fingers gripped the paper frantically. How could this have happened? Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I had to do something. I grabbed my quill, frantically trying to see how I could undo this gibberish. As I looked at the quill, I groaned inwardly.

'_Spark Easy Quills are now proud to present their brand new formula! Infused with many a charm to help you keep focused on your classes, we can now help you channel your thoughts onto paper with our new thought to paper remedy! The first ever quill able to bring your thoughts onto paper! - ' _

Damn.

"Time to collect your papers my young ones!" I heard Professor Flitwick's voice say excitedly.

My head hit the table.

…

Hermione's POV

After a nice hot bath, I sat in bed, petting Crookshanks as I let my thoughts mull over. I couldn't get over it. After all this time and I still couldn't get him out of my head. Well not him, precisely.

But the way it felt to hold him. The way it felt to kiss him. It was interesting to me.

Even though I knew thinking about these things wouldn't make things any easier for me, I still chose to think about them. It not that I was reveling in them, oh no, certainly not but…..rather, I was almost studying them.

Studying them.….

That was exactly what I was doing. I was studying these thoughts and memories to see why I couldn't get past them. Why wasn't I repulsed? Why hadn't I slapped him, or pushed him away? Instead I had held him, and let him kiss me. I even tried to think whether I had kissed him first. But there was no reason for me to think that, when I knew it wasn't true. After all, the entire kiss had only lasted a few seconds before Harry and Ron had barged in. Maybe that's why I hadn't had time to be repulsed by anything. While I was trying to convince myself of that, I heard a knock at the door.

It startled me somewhat, but I got up after several moments when they knocked again. Making my way to the door, I felt a little wary of who it might be. A Teacher or maybe even Dumbledore? I was starting to wish I had never skipped my first class. I felt a slight jump in my stomach. Maybe it was….….._no, why would that ever happen?_ Unless he was wondering why I had been acting so weird, or had to deliver a message. He was Head Boy, and even with that, we had never spoken once. I opened the door, and stood there with surprise.

"Ron?"

….

So I made this chapter a bit longer for you guys because I know all the others are a bit short. Also, I wanted to try my hand of writing both POV's in one chapter. So what do you guys think? I hope you all like it, and if you have anything to say to me, please review! Come on, you can do it! Please? Love you all! REVIEWS ARE MOST DEFINITLEY WELCOME!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Still nothing but the plot people! Enjoy!

Ch. 7

I stood there confused for a moment before letting Ron in. After I closed the door, I turned to face him.

"Hi Mione." he breathed, smiling a little. Not going to lie, I was a little confused. This past week, Harry, Ron and Ginny had been incredibly stony to me, given the current circumstances, Ron being one of the stoniest. And now, here he was, standing in my room as if nothing had happened. I didn't blame him for being upset. I fully acknowledged the fact that….Drac-_Malfoy_ and I had gotten a little carried away. After all, everyone and their Mum knew that Ron had been harboring a secret crush on me for ages. And I had been the same for him. Hadn't I? I just didn't know whether to be mad or not.

"You forgot your bag at breakfast…..what with all the commotion. I suppose it was all my fault really." he admitted wistfully. He dropped my heavy bag onto the armchair by his side. I decided against being mean. It's not like anyone else had cared enough to bring me my belongings. I myself had even forgotten I'd left anything. I smiled at his gesture.

"Thanks Ron." I replied beaming at him. No problem, I heard him say, as I realized…he seemed a little down. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but before I could, his eyes met mine, with a magnetized force. Suddenly, he closed the few feet between us and engulfed me in a hug. I melted against him and sighed. I had forgotten what it was like to be in his arms. Since he was much taller than me, my neck strained a bit against his shoulder, but it was nice nonetheless. His voice was muffled by my hair as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry, really I am. I've been such a jerk to you these past few days. But you have to know it wasn't towards you. Most of it was towards that sod you were kissing. The reason why I've decided to forgive you is because I know we all make mistakes. I know you wouldn't go kissing Malfoy if you had the choice. And I swear, if he ever even touches you again ill rip out his voice box and hex him till-"

"Alright Ron, alright!" I laughed, looking at him. "Don't worry about it. I knew you'd come around. Thanks for being here for me and trying to understand. It means a lot, really."

He smiled widely and pressed me to him again. Ron was right.

We all made mistakes.

vvvvvvv

Fifteen minutes after class had ended, I was still in Flitwick's classroom trying to persuade him that he did _not_ want my paper. The little man was ruthless, and insisted that he keep it.

"B-but Professor, it's hardly finished, not at all even, and I-"

"Nonsense!", he tut- tutted, almost wrenching the paper out my hands, "It is an absolutely wonderful piece of work! You obviously have a counterpoint behind it, which-"

_Counterpoint? _What _counterpoint_, you silly little cretin!, I wanted to yell. This paper was about no one, not one person. It just happened to come out of my mind for _no apparent_ reason and-

"Definitely means it is simply wonderful and enchanting and well thought out! Although I do understand why you were oh so hesitant to present it to me in class Mr. Malfoy, this girl of yours, she must be _quite_ the catch.", he chuckled.

_Catch?_ Granger couldn't _catch me_ if she offered me all of the Wizarding World's galleons. _What happened to this stupid thing not being about anybody?_ I wanted to blow a fuse in my forehead.

"In fact, I find it so touching and charming that I would be honored if you would present it to the _class_ tomorrow! I was planning on having Mr. Belby present his paper on the theory of the complicated book series _'A Million Charms and their Uses: Books 1-3 '_ tomorrow, but I'd much rather have this instead!" Flitwick proclaimed, looking quite pleased with himself.

I felt my stomach drop. Present it to the class? With Granger in attendance?, (she would surely protest to missing two days of class). How could he expect me to stand there and just pour out my extremely private thoughts for everyone to see? Not to mention that Potter and Weasley would know exactly what was going on. I couldn't. It was as simple as that. I groaned, running a hand grudgingly through my hair.

"Professor, you don't understand, those thoughts were extremely private and ended up on that parchment on accident. Surely you can't just expect me to reveal my private thoughts to a class of thirty _( Granger being one of them), _students?", I said, trying one last time to convince him that this was wrong.

He looked at me poignantly, and for a moment, there was a large, fleeting amount of hope in my chest.

_Had he finally understood? _

"Mr. Malfoy", He paused for a moment, thinking. "I suppose the reason why your paper is so interesting is right there in your own words. You feel so strongly about your private thoughts that it brings out the raw creativity in you. That's right on the money, I think. Had I known earlier about your hidden talent Mr. Malfoy, let's just say I would've never stopped a creative genius like yourself from doodling in my classes.", he mused. I stood there for a moment, ogling incredulously at him. Did he really not understand how I felt about doing this? Was he a full blown idiot!

Something ticked in my head.

"It was my quill, for Christ sakes, my stupid, overestimated, five sickle quill! It recorded my thoughts, alright! It wasn't some stupid stroke of inner genius that you're so convinced enough by your own intuition to believe! It . Was. My. Quill! " I puffed, panting at my sudden burst of angry energy. He stared at me with his stupid, know it all, beady eyes. He smiled, obviously amused.

"Whatever you want yourself to believe Mr. Malfoy."

And with that, I stormed out of the room, slamming the doors behind me.

I wouldn't be getting to him anytime soon, I knew. I was to perform my stupid paper in front of the whole class, _and Granger_, whether I liked it or not. I didn't have a choice, all because of that stupid little overbearing, know it all man. I had long missed the break before the next class, which everyone had already filed into long before. I stopped at a small hidden corridor with a window and sat, sliding down against the wall tiredly. I thought I would've gotten him to understand. I had always been good at getting myself out of things. Had I gotten him to understand, even a little? No. Come tomorrow I would be bearing my soul to everyone in the class. Including _her_. All because of that little know it all man. _Know it all, huh?_

Those three words brought a familiar tug to my chest and a turned my mouth into a thin, grim, almost smile.

Things definitely weren't in my favor these days. When had they ever been , really?

…

Reviews, Ideas, and Constructive criticism are most welcome (: love you all!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my idea. I _wish_ I owned the sexy beast that is Draco Malfoy (:

Ch. 8

My head ached as I slammed the snooze button on my alarm clock. _'Just a few more minutes, it won't do any harm'_, I promised myself. A few moments later my eyes shot open on their own accord.

'_So much for those few extra minutes'_.

I had never been able to control my sleep, not once. If my body decided that it was done resting, it was done, end of discussion. My brain had nothing to do with it. I groaned, and sat up. It's not like I had been able to get a good night's rest anyways. My brain had been clouded with thoughts of _him_ all night, just as it had done the night before that, and before that, and before that….

What was wrong with me? Was I sick? Mentally unstable perhaps? I wondered. Even in the few short times I had managed to fall into a slumber, I would wake suddenly, moaning his name until I couldn't breathe. My dreams varied on certain occasions, but usually it was always the same one, sometimes even repeating more than once in the same time. Draco would always end up grabbing me somehow, and then he would…..well. Yeah. Other times I had dreamed about him, it always ended abruptly, and felt as if someone had been trying to suffocate me with a pillow. A few times, I'd even thought I was going to die. And sometimes, I would even wake up in tears. They scared me, these dreams. They made _him _seem scary to _me_. I walked into the bathroom and stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, taking in my haphazard hair and pajamas, and the bags under my eyes. I sighed.

vvvvvvv

After breakfast with Harry, Ginny, and Ron, Ron was still the only one that could talk to me without a dry edge to his words. I also knew that as long as Harry was upset, Ginny would be too. I swear, sometimes it was as if they shared one's personal amount of feelings. Breakfast had been interesting enough, but trying to walk to class with all of them was even more awkward. While I would try to talk with Ron at times, since I could only stick by his side, he had gotten so used to including the other two in our conversations that it just seemed weird, and our conversation would die out when Harry or Ginny would reply only to Ron. It hurt, but I didn't blame them. The source of the blame hadn't even bothered to show up for breakfast today.

_Not that I'd noticed…..of course not. _

As we all shuffled into Charms class, he was still nowhere to be seen.

'_Good riddens to him then'_, I thought to myself, happy that his disappearance would prove to make an easier day for me.

Imagine my surprise when I found that he was already inside, waiting resignedly by Flitwick's desk.

My conscience quickly stamped on the small flitting joy inside of me when I realized that I would have to pass him to reach my seat. It would seem too awkward if I didn't. Everyone was in the front of the room, in a line, and it would seem too awkward if I crossed my way around to the back of the room, then to the middle corner where my desk was located. Very awkward indeed. I sucked in my pride and did it. I walked passed him, and I could feel his eyes on me as I cursed him for keeping me up at night, among other things. Finally, I made it to my desk which I shared with Ron, and sat down quickly, busying myself by preparing my parchment and quill for the lesson today. I usually sat with Harry which I enjoyed because he always passed me funny notes in class, but given the situation between us right now, he had decided to sit at the desk to my right with Neville, whom he got quite annoyed with when it came to being his class partner, but they were friends nonetheless.

'_Well isn't that saying something'_, I thought to myself gloomily. I then realized that Malfoy's eyes were still on me, and that I was sandwiched between Ron on the left, and Harry on the right.

I chose to call it Triangle of Doom. Because what was better than being surrounded by two wary friends and a boy that had an inexplicable hold on you?

Flitwick then cleared his throat, and people went quiet. The class had commenced. Malfoy was still at the front of the room.

"Today all you will need for class is a few bits of parchment and a ready quill, for we will be taking notes on the formidable charms of the northwest. But before we begin, I believe Mr. Malfoy has something quite marvelous to share with you!" he said proudly, before clapping his hands and pushing Malfoy towards the class as he rolled his eyes unenthusiastically. After a few polite claps, and a cough, the class went quiet as he pulled a piece or parchment out of his robes. He paused for a moment, cautiously, before beginning.

"I can't. I can't stop thinking about it, and every time I try it gets predictably worse. It's not that I don't want to stop, but although there is no explanation as to why, I cannot willfully bring myself to put it out of my head, to put her out of my head."

He paused for a moment, and I held my breath. Then, out there for everyone to see, he looked straight at me, blatantly. Quite unashamed, he continued, balling up the paper in his hand. It took everything within me to look away, but I couldn't. I was locked, and all I could see in front of me were clear grey-blue eyes against a pale face, and blond hair. I couldn't even remember how to blink.

"I cannot see why she, this girl of which nothing but a surge of something strong that I can't bear to figure out, has quite an interesting hold on me. This isn't something normal, or ordinary, or even something without purpose. I can't bring myself to even admit that what I feel isn't….._not _wanted. I'm confused. And even Merlin would be. The feel of her in my arms is unable to be registered as pain or pleasure, and kissing her makes me feel as if I need to know all the things there are to know in the world. I'm not one for playing games, but this one I have been playing. She makes me feel like a toy puppet with broken strings. I feel _controlled_. I feel her in my dreams, on my lips and on my hands. I…I feel _her_. I didn't _ask_ for _this_. "

He swallowed, and the room was so quiet that you could hear it. It was so quiet you could hear a quill drop. He was still looking at me with something in his eyes that I couldn't quite decipher, and so was every single other being in the room. Abruptly, in a flurry of noise that interrupted us all, Pansy stood up from her seat squealing, gushing like an obscene fan girl and clapping so much it hurt my ears. He smirked.

"Oh Draco! That was wonderful! You're so amazing and deep! Did you all see that! That's my Draco!" She exclaimed happily and excitedly, before Flitwick sent her a glare that put her back, quietly, in her seat.

Blaise snorted.

While some people clapped, Draco made it back to his seat, smirking at me before he sat down. My eyes shot down to my lap, and I felt a blush spread from my cheeks to my ears, neck and chest. After his sharing, class continued, and I didn't dare look at anything but my notes or lap the whole entire time. I couldn't bear to look at Ron, who shared my desk with me, or at Harry, whom I already knew had a cold stony look on his face the whole time. I could see Draco's blond head to the not so far away upper right out of the corner of my eye, facing the board thank God. Not long after, class had ended after what seemed like hours, and I hurriedly gathered my belongings and began to shuffle out of class. I was just reaching the end of an empty corridor when I saw Ron slam Malfoy hard into a wall ahead of me, his head almost hitting a lamppost. He pinned his arm against Malfoy's throat.

"What were you playing at ferret?" he said angrily, adding more pressure to his throat. A blue vein showed brightly against his fair skin. "Who do you think you are, saying those things about Hermione? Don't you dare try to make it seem like it wasn't about her, I'm not stupid. Why don't you just leave her alone! She's been beating herself up about it ever since you took advantage of her. She's been a _mess _because of _you_. You'd better leave her alone, before you regret it. I don't let people step all over _my _friends." he hissed. Malfoy sneered, not seeming at all scared of the position he was in. But I was.

"Ron!" I cried out. No one paid me any attention.

"You wouldn't understand, so why stick your head in other people's business?" He replied callously, his hand keeping a certain pressure from Ron's hand against his throat. "And on the contrary, she was quite willing when we were in the bathroom. I might've kissed her first, but she sure as hell didn't protest. I would've hexed her if she hadn't thrown her arms around me _first_."

I gasped as Ron's face turned puce with anger. He didn't need to know all that. I didn't want to hurt him anymore than I already had. Even though he was angry, I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Why you ungrateful little-"

"Stop."

Ron's fist was past halfway near to colliding with Draco's face when Harry had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, walking past me and towards the two boys. He whispered something to Ron, and all the anger suddenly went out of him. Draco took this opportunity to shove Ron away from him.

"Come to join in on the festivities Potter?" he spat out venomously, drawing his wand. Ron went to lunge again.

"No!" I yelled, running up and placing myself between Malfoy, Ron and Harry. "You I have to stop this. I won't let you fight. I …. I – "

"Don't worry Hermione, we weren't going to", Harry said rather irritably, "I was only stopping Ron here from punching Malfoy's teeth out." I met eyes with Ron, and he looked at me shamefully.

"Take this as a warning. I don't have tolerance for you, or your stupid friend Weasley. You should learn to control your anger. Next time I won't hesitate to curse you back to that hovel you call a home. Remember that." Draco's voice said darkly from behind me. I could feel his breath on my neck.

Harry glared at him spitefully before pulling Ron to his side. He lessened his glare when he came to me, but it was still there, hiding in the back of his eyes.

"I'll expect you take care of _that_.", before he walked away from me, dragging Ron with him. I had realized he had meant Malfoy. Take care of Malfoy? What was I supposed to do? It made me angrier that Harry had had the audacity to call me out in front of him. _Was he even my friend anymore? _My eyes brimmed with tears as I faced Malfoy. I tried my best to glare at him. He returned it bitterly.

"Well? I hope you're happy." was all I could manage to choke out.

"_Happy?_" he nearly spat out, as if he didn't know what that was. "I just got my head slammed against a stone wall by your _stupid _Weasel friend trying to defend _your _honor-"

"Friend?" I laughed aloud. "What friend? After this? I have no friends. Not anymore."

He smirked at the silence between us, and the tears nearly spilled out of my eyes.

"Welcome to my world."

"I don't want to be a part of _your _world!"

"It's a _saying_, Granger."

"Will you just _shut up_!" I nearly screamed at him, my voice shrilled, "Why must you ruin everything! First in the bathroom, then in The Great Hall, then Charms class, now here! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

He laughed. He fucking laughed, snickered, in my face.

"I hate you." I whispered as a tear crept down my cheek. His laughing came to a halt, and there was nothing but a somber silence between us. I looked at him through my lashes and he was staring at me fiercely, almost as if…..

…_almost as if I had hurt him_.

He laughed again, but it was a hoarse, sad, empty one. "Do you really? I wouldn't blame you if you did, to be honest. I have enough trouble trying not to hate me _myself_. It's not as if I had meant for all of this to happen, for you to lose your friends trust and for us to…" he paused for a moment, trying to find his words. "To end up in this situation that none of us asked for. But if you really hated me, hated me to my core, then why would you come at me like you did in the bathroom Granger? You could've left before I saw you. If anything it's your fault for making yourself visible. If you hadn't….maybe we wouldn't have to be stuck in limbo like this. If anything, at least have the decency to take some of the blame upon yourself. You don't hate me. If you did you would've let me suffer." he finished, still staring at me with a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite decipher.

I was at loss for words. He was right. I didn't hate him. I wanted to, but couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. It was something unbelievably hard to explain. Somehow there were parts of him that I actually admired….._somehow_. I then realized he was trying to ease his way past me. I stepped to the side slightly, embarrassed that I had practically cornered him. He picked up his fallen bag and began to head for the stairs. I felt I should say something.

"Mal…Draco?" I said timidly as he began to make his way up. He turned his head toward me lazily, with a mischievous grin upon his face.

"Yes? And also, you have quite a thing for my given name don't you?" he said smiling knowingly. I ignored his slightly snide comment.

"You're right." I said quietly. "I don't hate you. But that doesn't mean I quite like you either. Don't get any ideas." He laughed again.

"I already knew that Granger. And no need to tell me what to do either. I'm a big boy." He smiled slightly at me again, with _that_ little look in his eyes, and with that, descended up the stairs, leaving me alone in the empty corridor. I bit my lip, hard.

That boy smiled with his eyes, I realized.

…...

Wow that was pretty long for me huh? So it's one in the morning, but I could help but write this! I hope you guys enjoyed every minute it! Please review and tell me how you're feeling about this story so far, and don't be afraid to give me some good old constructive criticism! Their like rainbows and sprinkles for an author! Love you all!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing but my plot! (:

Ch. 9

It had been nearly two weeks since my encounter with Draco Malfoy in the abandoned corridor, and I could safely that things had gotten a bit better for me since then. Ron and I had talked things out some more and were working on becoming as close as possible, and Ginny was trying to make more of an effort to talk to me. It seemed as if people were starting to forget about all about me and Draco's little connection in Charms class, and I was well…..happier. Another great thing was that the dreams of him had finally started to stop, becoming less and less vivid each time I had one. Everything was finally beginning to go back to normal.

All except for Harry.

Since the little scene in the corridor, Harry had become increasingly moody towards me. He rarely talked to me, except for when he had to during classes, and when he did, it was short and curt. He _did not_ talk to me during meals, even asking someone else to pass a plate that would be sitting right in front of me. Ron had tried to talk to him many times about this, but he always changed the subject. I wanted us to be on good terms again. I truly, really did. But we couldn't be if I was the only one trying to make an effort. I t was Saturday, and the cool breeze floated in through the massive window of my room. I was reading _'100 Foolproof Ways to Conjure the Perfect Spell'_, when I had realized how beautiful it was outside.

It was only mid-morning, but I felt that if I didn't take advantage of the weather outside, I would be missing out on a gorgeous opportunity for some fresh air, and more importantly, some peace and quiet. Putting my book down I walked over to my closet for something to wear. I pulled out a simple long sleeved sweater in my favorite shade of light purple, and some jeans. Getting dressed, I wondered if I should invite Ron or Ginny to come along. In the end, I decided against it, because Ginny would just want to talk about Harry, her boyfriend, who I was currently not on speaking terms with, and Ron would want to mess around and bother me if I tried to read in peace. Plus, they would both bring back thoughts of the current situation that I did not want to think about. This day would be perfect, even if I did spend it alone.

After leaving my room with a bag filled with at least five books, I decided that it would be smart to get something to eat. Breakfast would still be going on, and I was sure I would be hungry while I was out. When I reached The Great Hall, I wasn't surprised when I ran into Ron, Harry, and Ginny, talking casually. Well Harry and Ginny were, while Ron was extremely busy stuffing his face. I reached over him and grabbed two pieces of toast, already buttered.

"Hi b'Mionde", I heard Ron say stuffily. I smiled, laughing slightly.

"Hello Ron, and Ginny" I replied, purposely leaving Harry out. I saw him glance in my direction, and I ignored him. Two could play at this game.

"Where are you off to?" Ginny asked me curiously, eyeing my bag of books.

"Oh just outside. It's a nice day today, and I figured it would be even nicer to read out there and have some time to myself, that's all."

Harry scoffed quietly, and Ginny elbowed him in the arm, trying to be discreet. I didn't want to be here if things got awkward, so I decided to be on my way.

"Well I'll see you guys later I guess. Bye Ron and Ginny….bye Harry."

He grunted, as I had expected, and with that, I was on my way. I was going to enjoy myself, and I wasn't about let Harry's attitude get in my way.

I ate my two pieces of toast as I searched for a nice place to sit outside. The first few areas in front of the castle were cluttered with students, chattering about things they thought were important, or lovey-dovey couples, littering the grounds with tons of their PDA. How was I supposed to read when at each side of me people were snogging furiously? I didn't think so. I walked over to the side of the castle, to some grounds by the lake, and was satisfied to see that there wasn't really anyone there. It was nice and private, with great huge trees with lovely shade where the warm sun couldn't get to you. Not wanting to go too far from the path, I settled for a large tree with just enough shade, just around the corner from the castle. There was a faint noise of voices laughing or joking around at the front of the castle, but it didn't really bother me now that I was far away. Looking for a long low branch, I made my way up the tree, climbing up to about the middle of it, where there was a nice little hollow between two giant branches. I sat down, hanging my bag on a close limb.

It really hadn't been long since I'd been reading outside, although it seemed like ages. I was just so busy these days, between Head Girl duties, meeting with staff, homework, and problems with friends, that I rarely had time for myself. I was thankful that this weekend I had almost no homework, and no meetings. I sighed, leaning my head against the hard wood of the tree, and continued to read about Wendelin the Weird and his escape from The Ministry of Magic in 1508. I stayed like that for a while, caught in my own little world of stories, legends and facts, not even bothering to count the time. I stayed lost in the world in my head for quite awhile, until I'd heard the crunching of grass beneath feet, that is. It came nearer and nearer, and as it came closer, I'd felt the need to bury myself even deeper into the trees. I wasn't really in the mood to be bothered, but at the same time, I wanted to know who it was. I realized that the noise had stopped. Had I imagined it, perhaps? Then, I heard a loud, crisp crunch. Whoever this was, they were right under my tree. It wasn't fair. The one time I wanted to be left alone and someone had to interrupt it?

_This was my tree, damn it! _

I wanted to tell them to leave me alone, and to find their own tree, but didn't. It's not like they could even see me in here anyways. I was sitting between large clusters of branches, almost like a nest, each limb carrying an abundant amount of leaves. A thought came to my head as I heard another loud crunching noise. If they couldn't see me, then that didn't mean I couldn't see them. I grinned slightly, as I tried to imagine who it was, surprisingly coming up blank. To my knowledge, no one ever really came here besides me. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I stood up and leaned against the branches. I hadn't brought my wand, so I couldn't do a Muffliato spell, or keep the branches from breaking off if my weight became too much for them. Thankfully, there were loads of thick, strong ones that barely made any noise as I stepped on them, and it was pretty easy to dodge the leaves. From my view all I could see was a black, leather bound messenger bag that seemed oddly familiar, but I still couldn't see its owner. The loud crunching continued, probably covering any noise I'd made pretty well. I grasped the branch that held my bag tightly for extra support as I peered at the ground. I was anxious and determined to see who this…this…._intruder_ of _my _tree was. The sun was almost blinding and hot from my location in the tree, and it definitely didn't help me see. Trying to shield my eyes, I raked the ground until I spotted something.

Sitting right against the trunk of the tree, was none other but a tall boy with pale, creamy blond hair. My breath caught in my throat, and an unspeakable feeling appeared in my stomach. Out of all people, Draco Malfoy, the source of almost _all_ my current issues, had to be sitting under my tree? There were hundreds of trees here, why hadn't he picked any of the other trees to bask under? _'Lazy git'_, I thought to myself. Maybe, I thought again, maybe it wasn't him? I was just lying to myself. Who else had that wondrous shade of silken hair?

_Wait a minute. Did I just call Malfoy's hair, that bloody, ruin it all, git's, hair, wondrous and silken? _Something was wrong here. And as for that irritable crunching noise, he was munching on a fresh, bright green apple. For some reason, I hadn't been paying attention to my grip on the tree, and as I leaned closer, a branch snapped under my foot. I took in a sharp breath, and tried to retreat to my original spot, but it was too late. My foot got caught in a group of weak branches, and I fell right through, my attempt to grasp my bag pointless. I screamed as I fell and hit the floor with a thud. I moaned, feeling my head ache and my arm cramp beneath me. The crunching stopped. For a moment, I thought maybe it was all just a figment of my imagination, and I had fallen, landing face down in the soft grass because I had failed to keep my balance as I read. Then my mind came back and I almost let out a cry as I felt my arm beneath me, hurting so badly I could cry. Slowly, I took my arm from beneath me and lifted myself on my hands and knees, groaning. At least there was really no one here to see me in this state.

"Well damn Granger", I heard an unwanted, familiar sarcastic male voice say, "I knew you were insatiably attracted to me, but I've never thought you'd try to pounce on me from a tree."

I raised my head venomously, standing up to face the bothersome blond. He was smirking, not moving an inch from where he had sat under the tree, a bright green apple in his hand. As I stood up, I ignored the aching in my body.

"I _wasn't. _I was actually reading in peace till you came, crunching up a storm with that stupid fruit of yours. I was simply coming down to tell you to shut it and find your _own_ tree." I glared at him, refusing to let him get the best of me. I wasn't about to run away from him, or get all bothered. I already knew he had a thing for trying to get to me, as he always had. He laughed.

"_Simply?_ You call falling face first from a huge tree, simple? It's obvious that we both have different view of what is simple, and _graceful_, for that matter. "

I seethed. "Well I don't really care if you aren't pleased _Malfoy_." I had to make an extra effort to call him by his last name, so that he wouldn't make a big deal of me being fond of his first one. He still said something about it anyways.

"Oho! Calling me by my last name now are you? Have Weasel and Potty been teaching you?" he said sarcastically, standing up.

"Not at all, _Draco_", I said blurted out. Oops.

He smiled slightly, and his voice lowered as he said, "There it is." I almost wondered if it had been a sigh. There was an odd silence between us, before he picked up one of my books, scanning it as he bit into the apple again. He swallowed.

"_The First and Last Spellinger Charm of the 18__th__ Century?_ Wow, you must have a lot of time on your hands to read all _these_. ", he mused, tossing my book onto the grass. I wanted to lunge for it, but decided against, no matter how much I hated for my books to touch the ground.

"Actually_ no_", I replied smartly. "I've rarely had any time for anything relaxing until today, of course _before_ you decided to ruin it with your stupid crunchy produce." I leant down to pick up my books and as I did, he made a little laughing noise in the back of his throat. I looked up to see a full, bright green apple close to my face, being held gingerly in his long fingers.

"Want one?" He replied almost mockingly, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." He paused for a moment, looking me up and down. Then he did that stupid thing where his small smile reached his eyes as he said, "And by the looks of it right now, it seems a doctor is _exactly_ what you need." If I wasn't so annoyed with him, and if he was a genuinely nice person, I wondered if maybe I'd find that a little cute. But he _wasn't_ a nice person, and I _was_ annoyed with him, in fact, past the point of annoyed, so at the moment, I didn't find anything rather cute at all. I stood up, four books clutched to my chest.

"No thanks, I'd rather not be poisoned by you, although I will need my bag back."

He grinned. "You don't have your wand, do you?" he asked knowingly. I looked down, only slightly embarrassed.

"No."

"What are the magic words?"

"Not now!"

Laughing, he took out his wand, and flicked it at the tree. He was almost as good at magic as me, and was able to do spells and charms without saying the words out loud. There was a rustling from the trees and my bag came flying out, hitting me square in the chest, and causing me to lose balance. I fell back onto the grass with a hard thud for the second time in less than an hour. I struggled to breathe, after having the air knocked out of me. Draco stood over me, looking…...guilty?

"Sorry."

And then he reached a hand out toward me. I laid there in shock, it must have shown on my face, because he looked like he was determining whether he keep his hand out or not. Wordlessly, I reached up and clasped it, his hand entangling with mine. I tried to ignore the weird feeling in my stomach when our hands met. He made a move to pull me up, but out of nowhere, I let out a surprised cry of pain as my body, namely my back and arms trembled with pain.

"Whoa there", he breathed, seeming concerned.

It hurts.

"I know it does, so there's really no need to state the obvious Granger." I clenched my teeth in pain. I hadn't realized I'd said that out loud. Slowly, he leaned down towards me, and without a word, suddenly scooped me up in his arms, bridal style. I moaned in pain, but tried to hold it back, still surprised that he would go as far as carrying me in his arms. Hearing my moan, he smirked.

"You like this, don't you?" he teased. I ignored him.

"What do you think you're doing?" I said incredulously, although I was in no state to talk, and definitely not to argue.

"What do you think?" he said to me as he headed towards the front of the castle, me attempting to squirm out of his arms. His grip tightened. "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing. You need to get checked by Madam Pomfrey, for broken bones." He was taking brisk strides, as if my weight to him was nothing at all. It was then that I realized that he was indeed, strong. "And stop squirming, you're only making it worse!" he scolded me.

I cried out in pain again, wanting to sob at the fact that I was in Malfoy's arms and that I had to go to the Hospital Wing. Plus, the pain was slowly becoming unbearable. "This is all _your fault_", I replied murderously, wanting to hit him, my voice muffled by his robes. He nodded grimly.

"Of course it is. That's why I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing." We were nearing the front of the school now, and the voices of students were becoming louder and louder. Everyone would see me cradled in Draco's arms, and it would start a whole new environment for gossip. It was also embarrassing.

_I couldn't let people see! My friends might be out there!_

"Draco, put me down!" I urged, "I'm feeling better, I promise, I promise!" He made a tut-tut sound with his tongue. Any minute, any second, everyone would see me, Hermione Granger, nestled in Draco Malfoy's arms.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't be silly, you can't even walk!" He insisted.

"Please!" I begged him, and he smirked. I prayed to myself, hoping he would release me.

"_No._"

I let out a noise of anguish as he turned the corner, and the voices were basically in my ears. Not knowing what to do, I buried my head against his chest, shielding my face. I could feel his heart beat. As people began to see, I heard mutters of confusion and whispers. The gossip had started. I could only imagine how Draco felt, probably smug, with the smuggest, most victorious smirk plastered on his face. He loved looking like the hero, the twat. As we passed large groups of people, I heard some of the voices stop entirely some, sadly, didn't. There were whispers, whispers everywhere.

"_Is that Hermione Granger?_"

"_His father-_"

"_Look at his face!_"

"_Look at her!_"

"_Bunch of leaves-_"

"_There were probably snogging like mad-_"

"_Oh how sweet! She fell asleep and he's carrying her to-_"

"_What the bloody Hell-_"

"_Oh my God!_"

"_They're together?_"

I felt Draco's grip tighten on me. I wanted to hurl. How could I have let this happen? Just let people have their own free will, their basis of opinion on us, on our-

'_On our what?'_

As the voices faded slightly, and I heard Draco climbing up the stairs to the castle, so I revealed my face again. My eyes fell on green and black fabric, and I realized he was wearing his Slytherin robes.

"Why are you wearing robes?" I heard myself ask him. "It's a Saturday." He smiled slightly, and I didn't know why.

"I'm supposed to. You are as well. It might be Saturday, but there's still a Head meeting we're supposed be attending in thirty minutes. Did you not know?" He smiled, trying to be innocent. With my mouth open in shock, I tilted my head back, and as I did, something caught my eye just before we entered the castle.

Ron and Harry were standing on the grounds nearby, staring right at me. I saw them, looking at me, Ron with his mouth wide open in shock, and Harry with the stoniest look he had ever given me, just before we entered the castle and a wall of stone blocked them from my vision.

I groaned.

VVVVVVV

So what did you guys think? I know it's been a couple of days since I've updated, but it's because school has started. Gah. Plus I went on a holiday this weekend and there was so internet, so I had to wait to update this. I just want to thank you guys, those of who who've been sticking with this story, and reviewing and story alerting, and faving and all that jazz. Thanks a bunch, seriously! And keep doing so! Reviews anyone? :D Love to all!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: There is not one thing I own except my plot, the random book titles, and the quill Draco used to write down his thoughts. Other than that? I don't own one damned thing, because the wonderful J.K. Rowling does. Enjoy!

Ch. 10

When I woke up, my head hurt so bad I almost threw up. Everything felt fuzzy, and I couldn't quite figure what was going on, or where I was either. My eyes were still blurry for a moment when I opened, but when they had nearly cleared, I could make out a figure just above my bed. It looked like a pale face….dark robes…..and pale blond hair. I nearly jerked in my bed when I realized that Malfoy's body was so close to mine, but I felt my spine lock, and I couldn't move. I groaned.

"Oh hello," he quipped, obviously quite amused. "It's about time you came to."

Sitting right by my bed on a stool, was Draco himself. He had been playing with the potion bottles on my bedside as he spoke, his light fingers brushing over them, one eyebrow raised. I struggled to sit up in my bed, my back aching painfully as I did. Of course, Malfoy had taken me to hospital wing after I had fallen from the tree. I felt guilty as I remembered seeing the looks on Ron and Harry's faces when we had passed them.

Was I their enemy now?

I still couldn't comprehend how I had fallen asleep. In such pain, I wouldn't have been able to.

Had I _fainted_?

Not knowing what to say to Draco, whether to stay quiet or thank him, I bit my lip and played with the ends of my blanket.

"Madam Pomfrey had to give you a sleeping drought to check for broken bones", he said, almost guiltily. "You would've screamed too much if she had done it while you were awake." I then realized that one of the potions on the table was a bottle of Skele-Gro.

"I have broken bones?" I asked worriedly, looking at him for once. His icy grey-blue eyes met mine.

"None that she could find…but I told her to give it to you anyways…..just in case."

I felt a blush coming on, at the fact that he had gone to the extra precautions to make sure I wasn't hurt. I shook it out my head.

'_Probably so Dumbledore wouldn't give him grief, the twat. '_

"Last time I checked, patients without broken bones shouldn't be taking a potion for them. What if I sprout an extra bone in my arm or leg? What are you going to do then Malfoy?" I scolded. If I hadn't been wrong, there was an ounce of playfulness in my words that I couldn't seem to remove. I frowned at myself.

He laughed slightly, but it was more like a dry smile. He didn't respond to my comment, either. There was an even amount of silence between us, before I decided to speak up.

"Were you…uh….um…were you…_here….with me_…the _whole _time?" he looked up at this, and it took all that was in me not to look away again.

He did _not _make me nervous…..at all.

"Well I brought you here and got Madam Pomfrey to fix you up, but then once you were asleep I had to go excuse the both of us to Dumbledore and McGonagall…they weren't upset really, just concerned. I had to persuade them to change the Head meeting to another day, since it's obvious you wouldn't have been able to attend, and they can't have had a meeting with only _one_ Head representative- but other than that, I've been here the whole time. You didn't think I'd leave you alone did you?"

He went through all that trouble? I had never expected that of him, especially if it involved me.

"Thank you", I murmured shyly. Okay, so what if he was a _little_ intimidating? _Just a little!_ But then I remembered what he had actually done. I went from shy to incredulous in half a second.

"You _what? You rescheduled our entire meeting?_ Do you realize what this _means?_ Now our whole year of meetings has to be pushed by-"

Oh will you just relax for a minute Granger?" he replied looking at me distastefully as I shrilled. Who knew you could still be this insufferable after falling out of a tree, for Christ-sake."

I glared at him. "Excuse me, but last time I checked, you're the reason why I'm in here _now_. So I'd shut it, if I were you."

I saw a glint of smirk cross his features. "Blame me all you want. But in the end, we all know it was you who fell trying to spy on me, and ended up looking like you'd gotten torn up by the whomping willow afterwards." He smiled victoriously as I seethed.

"In no possible way, was I _following_, _stalking_, or _spying_ on you _Malfoy_. The fact that you would even insinuate that would I waste my perfectly good day by trailing after _you_ on school grounds is _ridiculous_.-"

He leaned closer, staring at me intently, a trace of a smile on his face.

"Why would you even try and make it sound like I would _want_ to follow you? You can be really daft sometimes! Had it ever occurred to you that I had wanted nothing more than to sit in a peaceful tree reading a few books? No, I'm sure it hadn't! All you care about is yourself! You're nothing but a _stupid, frivolous, smug, domineering_ _twat!_-"

He leaned even closer a bemused smile branded on his face. Was he trying to egg me on? Sure. Taunt the girl that fell out of a tree on your account, why don't you?

"-And another thing! I bet you never even took the time to realize that I had been at that tree first! It was my tree, and just like everything else, here you come along to steal it. We wouldn't even be in this situation if you hadn't been a greedy fishmonger and decided to take what wasn't yours! Why can't you just learn to have your own things? You can't even do that, let alone leave someone in peace!"

He was even closer now, and I hadn't even been paying attention to the fact. I was now yelling in his face.

"I really hope you know how annoying you are, and how insufferable _you_ are, because-"

He was so close I could count his eyelashes.

"Draco Malfoy, you are definitely one of the most infuriating people I've ever met, and if you think that you can just-"

"Shhhhhhh." He murmured, stopping me in my tracks. I took a moment to catch my breath.

And not a moment later, his lips were on mine.

My eyes widened as his lips began to move softly against mine. I felt a tingle in my spine and a tug on my waist.

And then I was kissing him back.

Somewhere between the lines of saying no and giving in, my body had given in on its own accord. It took me a while to realize it, but for some reason, it seemed as if I had wanted this for a _very_ long time. Finally deciding, the conscience decided that I should kiss him back. I didn't know where it came from. Somewhere inside of me, I had willed myself to relax, and actually enjoy the kiss. My eyes fluttered closed after a few seconds, and my fingers had magically found themselves entwined in his soft, silky hair. He pulled me closer to him, one hand at the nape of my neck, the other at the curve of my waist. His lips coaxed mine, and I found myself sighing.

He groaned at this, urgently slipping his tongue into my mouth, suddenly I was returning even more eagerly than before, even overpowering him as I grabbed his hair, whimpering impatiently, biting down on his bottom lip, hard. I felt him smile into the kiss, and I struggled to breathe as my chest was attacked by a warm feeling that spread down to my core. Then, we were fighting for dominance, Draco sometimes letting me take the lead, other times surprisingly attacking me aggressively, which believe me, I quite enjoyed. How long had it been? Seconds, minutes, hours? I couldn't tell, and frankly I didn't care. There was something wrong, I knew it, felt it, but just as equally, I felt something right. As quickly it had come, it's suddenly, and surprisingly came to a stop. Draco's lips became still and frozen against mine, and his hands suddenly slacked. I felt something disintegrate within me. He pulled away, letting my arms fall from his shoulders and stepped back.

_Had I done something wrong?_

Then I looked in his eyes, his sad, wistful, almost mourning eyes. He stared at me, shocked, breathing harshly.

"I… - I'm sorry." He opened his mouth to say something else, but instead, darted his gaze away from me, and walked, almost ran, out of the Hospital Wing, leaving an echo that not only blared my ears, but made me feel strangely detached. I pressed my fingers to my lips, not really knowing how or what to feel. Had that really happened? Was it a dream? I hoped so, because at least in dreams, you could cry, but not really feel it. It reality, however, it seemed quite the opposite.

vvvvvvv

I pulled off my robes, and pulled at my shirt, the buttons scattering over the floor. How could I? How could I have done that? I was shocked-no worse. I was _petrified_ by what I had done. It wasn't the kissing, it involved it yes, but the most alarming fact in my opinion, was that I hadn't been able to control my actions. _At all_. I had acted on nothing but impulse, as if some unknown spirit had been telling me to do it. It was wrong, and stupid. She was right, I laughed grimly to myself.

I replayed the image I kept in my head, the one where her golden brown curls were tousled and her cheeks tinged with red as she yelled at me. Then I thought of when she said my name, softly, almost as if it were sacred. I really should've taken more gratitude in the moments where she called me Draco. I regretted these as soon as I had pictured them.

She was right. I was selfish, stupid, and insufferable. I had kissed her, taken advantage of her against her own will. She hadn't really wanted to kiss me, she only thought she had. I was a _monster_. I slumped against the wall of my bathroom, with a destroyed shirt and a cold feeling in my stomach. How could I have done that, to _her _of all people? Was I _mental?_ Surely I was. I wished I could've taken it all back. She probably would never speak to me again, then somehow Potter and Weasley would find out, and they'd hex me into the next century. Not that I didn't deserve it though. I halfway ignored the feeling of jealousy that hit me, imagining those two comforting her. It was supposed to be me-

_Wait._

There it was again. There was that stupid feeling I got when I thought of her and I together. I still couldn't place it. Somehow, I didn't want to. That was it, I promised myself. This time, I really wouldn't think, speak, or look at Granger. I couldn't. I _wouldn't_. End of story. I just had to ignore her, and all of this-this _stuff_, would go away. I could have my life back. Once again, I ignored another thought.

'_What would life be like without her?'_

vvvvvvv

Hey guys! What did you guys think? I hope you guys enjoyed it! I told you Dramione would progress! We'll see how it goes! **BTW! Would you guys like the next chapter written in Draco's POV or Hermione's because I can't decide at the moment! Please send in your vote!** Love you all! Please send in your vote, because remember, this story is for you! Reviews anyone? Please and thank you! :D


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: We all already know I own zip but my plot.

Ch. 11

Waking up the next morning had been a task on its own, not to mention showering, eating, and then getting dressed. My back still ached, I had a few scratches here and there, and the fingers of my right hand refused to cooperate with me. I sighed. Why had I let this happen? Couldn't I have just stayed silently in the tree? He would've left eventually and then none of this would have ever happened. I wouldn't be in pain, I wouldn't have to think about this, and I certainly wouldn't have kissed him –

But then again that was another problem on its own as well. It was obvious that there was nothing going on between us, I knew Merlin wouldn't let_ that_ happen but…...every time I looked at him, I couldn't help but feel an undeniable draw between us. And maybe I wasn't the only one. Trying to think of something happy, I remembered that today we were allowed into Hogsmeade, and that Ginny, Ron and I were going to go have some fun at The Three Broomsticks, and buy quite a few sweets from Honeydukes. I smiled, but it dropped as I thought of Harry. Of course he would be in attendance, but I hardly doubt he would even bother to speak to me and –

Wow. Shit. Did I even have any friends left? I crossed that plan out of my head, the whole thing, entirely. I had nearly forgotten that Harry _and _Ron had seen me being carried to The Hospital Wing by Malfoy. Plus they'd have most likely told Ginny by now.

Surely they would understand? I tried to convince myself. I knew they wouldn't. Besides, how could I expect them to when this had been another position with Draco that I had been caught in? Thank heavens they didn't know about the kiss…and I definitely wasn't about to let them find out either.

VVVVV

I had been on my way to The Great Hall for lunch when I ran into Blaise. He called after me, but as much as I tried to ignore him, I couldn't. On his third time to get my attention, I managed to turn around.

"Yes Blaise? Is there anything you want, or are you planning to make my life even more complicated than it already is?"

He smirked.

"Well if it isn't someone's time of the month. Did I mention you seemed incredibly distraught? You're destroying yourself mate."

Well at least someone seemed to care. And I suppose I was, but didn't I deserve it? I was a selfish, bloody, git. I remained silent.

"Feel like talking about it?"

"No."

Blaise turned me around, back towards my Head quarters. I didn't object, but lagged in his wake. Thank _God_ this year the rules had changed, or I would've had to share quarters with Granger. Imagine how productive that would've been. Thank you last year's Head boy and girl, for getting a bit rowdy right when Professor Snape had decided to drop them a message. Thank you indeed.

VVVVV

'_You can do this, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this'_, I chanted in my head. I had finally made the decision to talk to Harry, really talk to him. If I waited any longer, some _things_ would definitely get out, and our friendship would be jeopardized beyond repair. I was walking towards the Quidditch pitch, where I knew he would be practicing for the upcoming Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match in about two weeks. He had just been taking a drink of water when I approached him.

"Harry?"

I saw the back of his body stiffen, and he remained silent. It took all of my effort to remain talking to him. I was used to talking things out with Ron when he got fussy, but with Harry it seemed like a completely different case.

"We need to talk."

He brushed past me, walking towards his broom. I watched as he mounted it, and without another word shot up into the sky. I felt angry tears cloud my vision. Was I really not worth anything to him at all anymore? Out of nowhere, anger pulsed through my veins as I look around. I couldn't control myself. If that little prick that he could just ignore me, well then we'd see how much he would be able to ignore a horrible flying girl up in the sky. Tying my hair up, I braced myself, mounted the extra broom that lay beside me, and rocketed it into the air. I tried to ignore the urge on nausea I felt as the broom accelerated; instead keeping my thoughts on recalling the only flying lesson I'd ever had in first year. I had done _okay _on a Cleansweep 360, but now that the whole team had Nimbus 3000's, I was screwed.

The broom was extremely hard to control, and it jerked aimlessly as I tried my best to direct it. This really was a bad idea.

"Harry!"I heard myself scream. He turned around on his broom, and when he realized I was up in the air as well, his eyes widened.

"What the hell are you doing!" he yelled back. My voice bobbed in octaves as I tried to reply on the horrid broom.

"I – I told you we – we need to t – talk!"

He zoomed towards me, took his wand out and managed to control the unruly thing. I sighed, holding my stomach as it stilled, and I could feel my organs in the right place again.

"What was so important for you to risk your life Hermione?" He asked, baffled.

"I'm sorry", was all I had managed to say. His eyes softened. Hopefully he would let me explain now.

VVVVV

"So you kissed her, _again_?" was all Blaise said while he munched on his fries. Somehow he had persuaded the House Elves to bring our lunch to my room. He had always had a way with, well…_everything_. I nodded silently, after I explained the whole story of what had happened yesterday.

"Well that wasn't a very good idea mate."

"You really think so?" I replied back sarcastically. Blaise ignored my sneer.

"Snap at me all you want, it isn't going to help the situation."

"Sorry", I replied dejectedly. I knew it was wrong to snap at him, but I had so much going on in my head that I couldn't control my random outbursts at the moment. Thank Merlin my best friend knew me well enough to know that. Even though I had told him the story, I couldn't bring myself to explain the undeniable draw I felt towards her. I wasn't in love with her, I couldn't even stand her – and I definitely wasn't lusting over her.

"Do you even like her _at all_?" I heard him ask.

"Not one bit actually. I don't really hate her though either. I don't know what it is."

"Think about it Draco", Blaise replied, pushing his plate away and wiping his hands with a napkin. "You say you don't like her, but you don't hate her either. You're determined to say you're not lusting over her, but yet you've been the one to initiate both kisses, _both _times. What does that sound like to you?"

"You really don't want to hear my answer."

"Why? Because you're afraid to admit you have something for her?"

I shut my mouth.

Whether I liked or not, somewhere deep inside of myself, I knew that was _exactly_ it.

VVVVV

I had taken Harry back to my room so that we could talk quietly. While the walk there had been awkward, being in there alone had been slightly worse. He leaned cautiously against my armchair while I spoke, trying to busy myself with adjusting random things here and there.

"Do….do you want something to drink?" I asked him.

"No, but thanks", he replied curtly. He seemed about ready to leave, and if I didn't say something soon, he would.

"I really don't know why I did it Harry. I'm not blaming you or Ron, but I really wish I hadn't done that dare. "

He stared silently at me. How on earth was I supposed to explain to him what I felt towards Draco? I didn't know how I was felt, so an answer couldn't really be given. What was I supposed to say? That because of that stupid dare that I was now insatiably drawn to Draco Malfoy? That wouldn't suit Harry well at all. He stood across the room from me, his stare nearly accusatory.

"What is he to you, Hermione?" he asked, arms crossed. I opened my mouth to say something, but as I did, I realized something and was forced to close it.

"I …... I don't know."

I really, really didn't.

"And what are you to him? Are you his whore?" he demanded, his voice getting colder and meaner each time he spoke.

I stared at him incredulously. "Is that what you think of me? Do you really think that I would stoop _that low_? I thought we were friends!" I heard myself say, my voice sounding awfully choked up.

He took a step closer to me. "Yeah? Well I did too, until you started sleeping around with the bloke –"

"_Sleeping around?_ Is that what you think we're doing? Is that what you think of me –?"

"Well of course I do! He's a Malfoy, Hermione, what more would he want from some innocent girl like you, who happens to be one of my best mates? Surely you can't expect me to believe he just wants to be friends. As soon as he gets what he wants, he'll dump you and start calling you a mudblood again."

I had never seen Harry like this before. His words actually really hurt my feelings. Somewhere inside me, I felt the unexplainable need to stand up for Draco. He hadn't done any of those things Harry had listed, especially call me a mudblood. He hadn't done that since well…I couldn't even remember when he had done it after fifth year. I had to give him some credit for that.

"For your information, Draco hasn't called me a mudblood not _once_ this year, and he definitely hasn't tried to hit on me."

Harry scoffed. "_Draco_, to you now is he? Next thing you know you'll be telling me he calls you Hermione. Also, if you don't call kissing you hitting on you or way past it, I don't know what is."

"Actually he doesn't. He calls me Granger. The time he kissed me was when he was vulnerable, and it was basically my fault, and –" I caught myself. There was no way in hell Harry was going to find out about yesterday in The Hospital Wing. No one could.

"And _what_?" Harry wondered, looking at me suspiciously.

"And it will never happen again. It was a mistake and I regret it entirely." He still didn't look like he believed me. "As for what you saw when he was carrying me, it was because I'd fallen out of a tree while reading and he saw me and was trying to help. It was his duty as Head Boy."

I nearly smiled as Harry went from angry to guilty, when he realized he had been wrong all along. He didn't need to know the details. I didn't like not telling him the whole truth, but I felt that if I did he would never be able to forgive me. I loved him too much to lose him. He was practically my brother. Despite the fact, I was still angry that he had jumped to such harsh conclusions.

"I expect you'll be leaving now", I continued. "You probably don't even care that I'm telling you this. You probably –"

Before I could say another word, Harry had engulfed me in a strong hug. I was so happy that I could've cried. "I am _so_ sorry", I heard him whisper. Slowly, I hugged him back.

"I can't believe I was such a prat towards you. I'm so stupid. It's not your fault Hermione. I should've been smarter than to think you would be sleeping around with Malfoy. I swear I'll never doubt you. You have to believe me, I'm the sorriest I've ever been. " He kissed my forehead.

Even though I was still slightly angry at him, I couldn't help but smile. "It's alright I suppose. Just promise me you'll never get _this_ upset with me again. I can't bear it."

He smiled, and I beamed right back. "I promise. I'll explain everything to Ron and Ginny, you don't have to worry about it. Please come to Hogsmeade with us? We've all missed you."

I pondered over that idea for a moment before responding. "That sounds like a great idea."

Seems like I did have plans after all.

vvvvv

Reviews for the winnnn! :D


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: still nothing but the plot!

Ch. 12

While at the beginning I had had doubts, the trip with Ron, Harry, and Ginny had turned out to be great. After Harry had managed to talk things out with Ron and Ginny, they had slightly let go of their doubts of me. Throughout the trip, they became a lot easier to talk to, and by the end, we had been getting along as if nothing had ever happened. The only thing I was cautious of was the look Ginny would slip me through the day, as if she knew something I didn't. I knew she would be talking privately with me soon, but she never failed to be just as friendly as the guys. We had been sitting in the basically empty Gryffindor common room, munching through the pile of Honeydukes sweets we'd brought back. For a while we had played quite long games of Wizard's Chess, which I sucked at, and Truth of Spin, which was almost like the magical adaptation of spin the bottle, only you gave truthful answers instead of kisses. It was nearly midnight when Ron and Harry had decided to retire to bed.

Harry yawned, getting up from his armchair. "Well that was good fun you guys, but I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to bed now."

"Agreed", was all Ron said, before they both bid us goodnight and clambered up the stairs to their dormitories. It was just me and Ginny now.

"So you know what we should talk about, right?" she asked. I was halfway through a gummy tentacula leaf when my throat closed up. "You know I'm not going to judge you. I just want you to know that I care about you Herms. You're one of my best friends."

"I know Gin. I just don't know what I should say to you." Of course she would want to talk about Malfoy, why wouldn't she? I just didn't know what I should tell her. I knew I could trust her from telling Harry and Ron, but I felt that it was for _my _own good that I didn't talk about it, and it had _nothing_ to do with Ginny.

"Hermione….you can't keep all of your feelings pent up inside. It'll just get worse."

There was a moment of silence between us before she spoke again.

"Do you….have feelings for him, Hermione?" She didn't need to say his name for me to know who she was talking about. I felt all of the candy I'd eaten churn in my stomach. I jerked my head, not even knowing myself whether it was meant to be a yes or a no.

"Maybe?" she whispered.

I buried my head in my hands, trying to think of something else, anything else.

"Hermione, its okay if you do! I won't judge you, I swear –"

"Ginny. I _can't_ do this." Was all I could manage to blurt out. I fought the need to vomit and cry all at the same time. I could see her out of the corner of my eyes, looking at me as if I were an incredibly hard rune to decipher. I supposed I was. How else could I expect her to react? I didn't even know what was wrong with me. I felt her hand on my back, rubbing it gingerly, slowly.

"It's alright…it's not your fault who you like Hermione, it's just a little crush, it'll go away with time if you want it to."

That's where she was wrong. The only way she would ever understand what it was, was if she was me.

"It's not a crush, not even close. I don't even _like_ him Ginny. Somehow he's always in my head, all the time. During the day, at night, when I sleep! He won't leave me alone. I feel like I need to be around him all the time, but when I am, I can't even look at him. I'm mental Gin." I laughed hoarsely, lifting my head from my hands. She was quiet for a moment, before she laughed quietly. I turned to her, a slightly hurt look on her face.

"You think this is _funny?_" I asked her incredulously. Some friend she was. I had just spilled out my guts to her and all she could do was laugh?

"No, not funny at all, it's just really ironic." She smiled.

"_Ironic?_"

"Well yeah kind of….it just really reminds me of me and Harry at the beginning. The whole can't get you out of my head bit."

I choked. "Are you insinuating that I'm in _love_ with _Draco Malfoy, Ginevra Weasley? _You're crazy."

She laughed again. "Definitely not", she looked at me slyly, "But there could be a little spark in there somewhere."

I sat with my mouth open unable to speak. She smiled at me again, knowing what she had said had affected me. "I'm glad we had this talk Hermione. I think I'm going to crash though, so I'll be on my way to bed." She was almost halfway up the stairs when she turned back to look at me, a devilishly devious smile on her face.

"Think about it", she whispered. With that, she was off to bed, leaving me alone in the common room. Somewhere in my head, I knew she was partly right. I would think about it, subconsciously of course, whether I liked it or not. I rested my head against the arm of the chair.

The nerve of that girl.

VVVVV

So far, I'd thought I'd done a pretty good job of ignoring any thoughts of that damned, curly haired, Gryffindor girl. Sure I had had to distract myself twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to succeed at this, but I had triumphed nonetheless. Of course I'd had moments where she would just pop into my head, but I had learned to control those by now, most of the time that was. It seemed that my mind had its own plan, just using my body as a vessel to carry out a deed. I felt used. I also coped with those feelings by using someone else, such as Pansy, for the moment.

She had been purring in my ear, running her perfectly manicured hands through my hair, trying to get me to respond to her. She thought I was actually enjoying this, being with her while she lounged on my lap, but instead, I found myself wanting to be with _someone else_, as usual.

"Draco?"She purred in my ear, brandishing my neck with light fluttery kisses. Would I have given in already? Yes. But that would only happen if I could learn to completely forget about Granger. I wasn't even attracted to her, for Merlin's sake, so how could she be in my head _all the time_? I had no idea.

"Pans?"

"How come you never make love to me anymore?" she wondered, batting her long dark brown eyelashes. Combined with her startlingly blue eyes, the overall effect was quite beautiful and flattering, but it had no affect on me, and neither did her words. No effect, _anywhere_, whatsoever. Of course Pansy was beautiful. I would be out of my mind even more than I already was if I said she wasn't. She was basically every guy's fantasy, tall, a killer figure, long dark hair, stunning big blue eyes, and perfectly shaped features. Her personality on the other hand, was what made her a lot less attractive to me. She was clingy, nosy, whiny, overbearing, and wanted nothing more than to shag me all day long. If she couldn't have me, she would almost always go after other willing guys, or sit and weep until I apologized for _not _sleeping with her. Once, she'd even tried to get Blaise to shag her, and he laughed in her face. Sometimes I really thought she could be a nymphomaniac. Another thing was that she was convinced she was my girlfriend.

"I've just been, uh, busy." I muttered. She pouted her lips.

"Too busy for your honeybee? Drake, I miss you." She said, using her baby voice, which by the way, I hated. I also hated when anyone called me Drake. I fought the urge to push her off me. _'She's just a distraction, just a distraction'_, I reminded myself, making me feel slightly better, yet worse at the same time.

"My name is Draco", was all I said. She laughed a high giggly sound that sounded so sugar coated it sounded phony.

"Of course it is, my darling."

Without another word, she leaned in and pressed her glossed lips against mine, straddling me as she brought me closer. I knew it sounded mean, but I couldn't help but prefer her like this; quiet, with her mouth shut. I heard her moan and I grabbed her waist, not surprised when it brought back memories of what had happened in the hospital wing nearly a week and a half ago. She started whispered in my ear how bad she wanted me as she ground her hips against mine. No matter how hard she tried, I still felt numb, and I couldn't bring myself to enjoy her. Without warning, she slipped her hand down into my pants and I couldn't help but growl. I had the most bizarre carnal urge to take her right there and then. Happy with my reaction, she continued her ministrations. I could my heartbeat start to race and my breathing was beginning to become labored.

"Pansy", I half moaned. "You have to _stop_!" I clenched my eyes shut as another wave of pleasure overcame me. "Please." I gritted my teeth. I didn't want this. Not with Pansy. Suddenly, a flash went through my head and I could see nothing else but _her,_ nothing else but her soft golden brown curls and chocolate brown eyes and –

Midway through my vision, a shockwave of ecstasy hit me so badly I held Pansy close to me with a murderous grip. I could still feel her kissing my neck.

"Herm-!"

I caught myself, and I froze in Pansy's embrace. I had almost yelled out _her _name. My eyes widened in shock and I quickly removed Pansy's hand out of my pants, practically shoving her off me. I heard her yelp in surprise.

"I'm so sorry, I have to go, I'm sorry." I muttered, righting myself and grabbing my belongings.

"_Draco!_" I heard her call after me as I bounded up the steps. I couldn't look back to see Pansy's hurt face or to see if she was okay after she had been unceremoniously tossed from my lap. I just ran to my room, teeth clenched, fists as well, trying to think of anything else but _her. _

vvvvv

So what did you guys think? Reviews and constructive criticism anyone? : D love you all! Also, Dramione will be having another moment quite soon! Happy Labor Day weekend!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: You have no idea how many times I wished I owned Harry Potter. But then I realized that without Jo Rowling's wonderful mind that none of this would've existed. Enjoy.

Ch. 13

I felt incredibly guilty.

So, so guilty.

Of course I shouldn't have let Pansy even try to seduce me in the first place, but then again, when did I even have the nerve to care about anyone else besides myself? I already knew I was a selfish prat, but that didn't mean I was happy with myself. Never, had I even been remotely happy with myself. Sure, there were childhood memories where I could remember myself being happy, but that was the point. I was a kid. All little kids cared about were toys, candies, and other sweet things, their mothers reading them bedtime stories in the eve of night, their fathers teaching them about the game of Quidditch.

_Family._

I think I had had that once in my life. When The Dark Lord vanished and my father could resume being _himself_ again. But there had always been a difference between the man who would give me hugs and kisses when he came home and the man who decided that The Cruciatus Curse would be better for me, for being _'such a disappointment.' _In the end, all came down to my mother, the only person who actually cared about me. Granted, when father was present, she would always act as if I didn't exist, only focusing on my father's wishes, doing whatever he told her to do, and whenever he wanted it done.

There had been a few times where he had Imperuised her, right in front of me. He told me, _'the only way you'll get a real woman to obey you, is to put her under The Imperius Curse.'_

I laughed bitterly to myself. As a fourteen year old boy, I had believed him, scared to contradict him or his views. Now four years later, what had his lessons brought me?

Nothing but the feeling of emptiness inside.

VVVVV

My head was _throbbing_. I was covered in sweat, my right arm itchy and uncomfortable in its sling. In the other hand, I looked bitterly to see that four of the five half-mooned ridges embedded in my palm had returned, dripping a small amount of blood onto my white bed sheets. My own screams had waked me up. The dreams had returned, and this time, it was as worse as ever.

_I was in a small, dark cellar, somewhere deep underneath the ground. I looked around me, seeing nothing but barren, cold, grimy stone. I felt alone, cold, and the sense of death lingered inside of me like a second skin. There was loud banging noise from somewhere upstairs, and though I hadn't notice it before, a flight of stairs stood to my right, and without a second thought, I began the steps, the noises getting louder as I came closer. _

"_Where is he!" I heard a high, strong voice hiss. There was another slam, and a groan. I hurriedly climbed up the rest of the stairs, being cut off by a curtain hanging downwards, blocking my view of the room ahead. Hesitantly, I pulled it back an inch. I wished I hadn't. Inside a brightly, lit, elaborate room, Voldemort himself stood in the middle of the room, wand pointed at a cowering…Lucius Malfoy?_

"_My – My Lord, I have sent Greyback to fetch the boy! He should be here any second, I promise you, I –"_

_With an enraged look on his face, Voldemort raised his wand, and in less than a second, Lucius went flying into the air, crashing onto a large table a few feet away. He did not move. _

"_Lucius!" Narcissa managed to cry out, before Bellatrix Lestrange's dirty hand clapped across her mouth, silencing her as she whispered into her ear. Narcissa went limp, and did not fight back, all the while staring at Voldemort with fearful, teary eyes. _

"_Has anyone got anything else to say?" Voldemort jeered, daring any of his followers to protest. Bellatrix went to open her mouth to praise her Lord, but before she could, the great doors of Malfoy Manor burst open, revealing Fenrir Greyback, his hands tearing into a young man's suit as he attempted to grasp him properly. _

_A young man with shockingly platinum blond hair._

_I gasped, and clutched at my throat, not being able to breathe. Why was this happening? I watched as Draco was dragged into the large room by the collar of his shirt. The more he struggled, the more the werewolf's nails dug into his neck and shoulders. There was a slight rusty metallic smell, and I knew that somewhere under his clothing he was bleeding profusely. Greyback slammed him onto the floor at Voldemort's feet, taking immense joy in pulling on Draco's hair, so that his head lifted up, meeting eyes with The Dark Lord. They stared at each other for a moment, silently. No one breathed. _

"_Have you done it, boy?" Voldemort asked Draco quietly, his eyes scanning over his face to detect any betrayal. _

_Draco jerked his head as much as he could, indicating a yes. Voldemort raised his wand to Draco's forehead, performing Legilimens on him. There was a moment of silence, before a frighteningly evil look of happiness appeared on Voldemort's face. He cackled victoriously, before it turned into a fully fledged laugh. _

"_You have killed Albus Dumbledore! The boy has succeeded!" He exclaimed to everyone in the room. Some laughed, some cheered, but Voldemort did both, and more, making victorious jokes, bashing the headmaster. He stopped laughing, and the others stopped immediately. He looked down at Malfoy, who showed no emotion. It seemed as if he was looking past Voldemort. _

"_Looks like I won't be punishing you after all, boy", Voldemort said to him, sounding a little disappointed. A sickening smile came to his face instead. _

"_Instead of death, how about lifetime reward?" He motioned to a few death eaters, and they approached Draco, grabbing and lifting him from the floor. Once he realized what was going on, he began to scream out, begging._

"_No! Please, no, no!"_

_Two death eaters removed Lucius's body from the table, replacing it with Draco's instead, while his mother watched him cry out for mercy, tears seeping into her long, flowing, and platinum blonde hair. As soon as they placed him on the table, iron chains and cuffs appeared, holding him in place. Bellatrix went to his side, whispering into his ear. _

"_Consider this…...the beginning of your future." _

_He turned to look at her in shock, and she smirked. _

"_Crucio!" A masked death eater yelled out, and my vision blurred. I wanted to scream out in agony. Out of nowhere, a blast of pain hit me, burning into my spine, head, stomach, throat and chest. Searing hot pain invaded my body, spreading like wildfire. My lungs burned and I couldn't breathe. _

_I was going to die. _

_I grasped the thick curtain for support, my nails tearing into it. I still couldn't bear to look away. The last thing I thought I would see before death swooped over me was Draco's agonized face, but as soon as it had come, it was over. Malfoy choked, gasping for air, and I found myself able to breathe again. It felt as if my lungs had burst. He was still protesting, but had grown weak from the force of the curse, so instead of screaming, he was now moaning in pain, his hair clinging to his forehead, blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth. I wanted to stop this. He didn't deserve it. No matter how coldhearted he'd been to me in the past, no one deserved this. I made a move for my wand, but to my surprise and horror, it was nowhere to be found. Voldemort glided to the other side of the table. He overlooked Draco for a moment, grinning menacingly at his fear. _

_He brushed a few strands of hair from Malfoy's forehead and he flinched. Without another word he drew his wand, and plunged it into Malfoy's left forearm, gouging it into his skin. As soon as he did, Draco screamed in agony, and I watched as black ink spread into his veins, mixing into his blood, creating the shape of the snake and skull. Mid-scream, he turned his head, and his icy, teary, grey-blue eyes hit mine. I was frozen in shock. Could he see me through the curtain? I went to back away, but the entrance that had once let me through no longer existed, and my head hit the stone wall with a sickening crack. My vision blurred, and I fell to my knees, grasping the curtain, and all the while, I could still feel his eyes on mine. There was no sound in the room but his harsh breathing. After Voldemort was done, Draco still stared at me. He noticed. Voldemort turned his snakelike face towards my direction, searching the room with his slit eyes. _

"_What seems to be the distraction, Mr. Malfoy?" He breathed. "Have you been hiding something from me?" _

_Draco jerked his head no, but it was too late. Voldemort's red eyes met mine, and I could do nothing about it. I wanted to run, scream, do anything, but I couldn't. _

"_Ah. So you've brought the little Potter mudblood sidekick as a present for me Draco?" Voldemort jeered, and the death eaters smirked. "How nice of you, two deaths in one day, Albus Dumbledore, and Potter's little slut, otherwise known as the brightest witch of the age? I think not. Should I let Greyback finish her off in front of you?" Greyback advanced, but at the raise of The Dark Lord's hand, he retreated, baring his teeth hungrily at me. Voldemort smiled again, showing his ugly, rotting teeth. _

"_Never mind then. I think it would be faster if we sent her body in one piece to Mr. Potter…as a message." _

_Draco's eyes widened in horror, and he yelled out in protest. _

"_Please, not her, take me instead, please, please! No!" _

_But it was too late. Halfway through his sentence, a bolt of green light flew forward and hit me square in the chest. It was melancholy and nostalgic, and I could not speak. My last glance was towards Draco's tear streaked face…_

And that was when I woke up. It had only been a dream.

Just a dream.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I still own nothing but my plot! That's that way it will always be I'm afraid. Ah well.

Ch. 14

I was dazed. I was confused. But most of all I was restless.

Ever since two days ago, since that horrid dream, I was unable to do anything but worry. What had it meant? Why had I had it, was a better question. I knew it was silly of me to think so much of a dream, just a _dream_, but I could help it. Maybe it was because of all the things Harry thought of Malfoy. In my dream he had gotten the dark mark. Harry was convinced Draco was a death eater. Sure, there were suspicions, but if he really was, he had no power. Albus Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard of all time besides Merlin himself, and if he suspected a death eater amongst our midst, he would certainly take care of it. For some reason, I _knew_, deep in my gut that Draco was in no way a death eater. He was no assassin.

Harry and Ron were worried. During our classes together, the both of them would send furtive, worried looks in my direction, unaware that I could see them out of the corner of my eye. I wasn't as busy as they thought I was during class, that's for sure. When in the Great Hall, they would whisper and converse with Ginny about how they thought I was 'going mental.' Ginny only shushed them, telling them to eat their food and mind their own business. I would often send her small smiles across the table for this. She knew about the dreams, just not this one. The important part was that she at least knew what was happening, and that she trusted me to take care of it. I owed her for that.

I was on the way to the library. After not being able to do anything without thinking about that stupid dream, replaying Draco's tear-streaked, screaming face in my head multiple times, I decided that the only thing left to do was go to the library and try to find some research on it. It wasn't like I could talk to anyone about it. I entered the library, and unsurprisingly, it was empty. Madam Pince sat at her large oak desk, filling in files with an overly large, dusty feathered quill. As I approached her, the smell of mothballs was overwhelming. I cleared my throat, and her beady eyes shot up, glaring at me for interrupting her work.

"Yes Hermione?" She asked pointedly, clicking her long red nails on the table.

I had never really asked her for anything, since I basically knew the library by heart. I also knew that what I would need would be in the restricted section, and as I gazed, I found the keys to it hanging on a small little hook to the side of her desk. Whether Madam Pince would give them to me or not was the problem. Although I was Head Girl, and the fact that I had the complete trust of the Hogwarts staff to enter the restricted section, Madam Pince was often very protective of her books, and was not easily convinced.

"I was just wondering if I could take a look in the restricted section. A few professors who didn't have the time to come down here and check for a few books sent me instead, since I'm Head Girl", I replied.

She looked at me distastefully and grunted. She would have to give them to me whether she liked it or not. I needed to figure this out, and although I regretted telling a lie, finding something to help me get over this would make up for it. She tightened her lip grimly as she turned around to grab the keys. She held them out to me, on the curve of a long red nail.

"I'll be needing them back in 45 minutes", was all she said bitterly, before dropping them into my open palm. I smiled.

"Thank you."

Without another word, I wandered into the depths of the nearly deserted library, hoping that I would find something to stop…stop _this_. As soon as I reached the barred door that said 'Restricted Section', I sighed, and turned the key, hearing the door clicking. It was rather large, and also slightly unfamiliar. I hadn't been in here since fifth year or so. Tentatively, I walked in, and looked around. There were a lot more bookshelves that before, large and looming in the large area. Although it looked like any other part of the library, it was darker when you thought of all the dark and potentially threatening books lurking in here. I was just being silly, I concluded. There was nothing to be scared about. Madam Pince was just a holler away, and I had my wand with me. There was no reason to be afraid of some silly books. I walked farther, trying to figure out where to look first. There were many options that sounded like they would help. I scanned them.

'_The Fascinations of Slumber by Anna-Maria Codwell', 'The Whisper of the Night by Gredaculus Scrunch', 'Many Tis a Night in The Soul'_ –

I paused for a moment as I heard a shuffling sound at the door. It was quick, and by the time I had looked there was nothing there. The door remained half open, just as I had left it. Collecting these books, I shook my head and continued my search. Nearing the end, I had managed to collect nearly twenty extremely heavy volumes. I stared down at my pile. This was too much. I only would need about three, and it would look suspicious in front of Madam Pince if I took all of these. I leant down to sort through them. I narrowed it down to seven and began to find the places of which I had found the others. Too bad for me they were all in completely different sections. I sighed, and began to put them back. On the second one, which was having a hard time placing itself back into the bookshelf, I was suddenly grabbed roughly by the elbow, and in between two bookshelves. In shock, I went to protest. What was happening?

"What the hell! – "

Before I could finish, a cold pale hand clamped against my mouth, muffling my noise. I tried to fight against it, taking out my wand, but as I did, a familiar male voice exclaimed, "Be quiet, Granger!"

In shock, I slumped against the bookshelf. Of all the people of all the people I had to see right now.

Draco face peered into mine curiously, his hand still on my mouth.

"Are you okay? Because you're going to need to calm down for me to let go of your mouth", he stated, while I stared dazedly at him, not being able to comprehend. Was this another one of my dreams? Why did this keep on happening? Couldn't he just leave me alone, for _once_? I nodded quietly, and his hand slid away from my mouth, letting me talk again.

"Good."

I wanted to know what he thought he was doing. Was he going to hurt me? I knew he wouldn't, but one could wonder when they were being held hostage in between to bookshelves. Instinctively, I gripped my wand tighter. I stared at him confusedly, but I waited for him so speak. After a few moments of silence, he looked into my eyes again, with an unfathomable expression on his face.

"We need to talk."

VVVVV

Hey guys! So I know this chapter is a bit shorter than all the others, but I am having computer issues that I am currently working on resolving, and I wanted to be able to give you guys a little something despite that. Also, how do you guys like the pace of the story? Too slow, too fast? Anything you'd think would be nice to add in? Let me know! I want to know how you guys feel, because remember, _you _are the ones who read this! I hope you liked it! **Reviews and constructive criticism as most welcome!** Love to all!** Also! if you havent read my Dramione oneshot, _Brownie Points_, feel free to go to my profile, and click on it! I hope you enjoy it!**


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: You already know this, but I have to do it. I'll let you guys imagine what I'll say this time. I don't own anything (fill in!)

Ch. 15

Talk? He had shoved me into some abandoned cranny just to _talk?_ I'm sure there could've been a better way to do this, for example, calmly coming up to me and asking? I scoffed. He heard it, and his eyes narrowed.

"I sure do hope you don't think this is funny, because it isn't. It's not like I wanted to talk to you anyways, but I have to!"

"You could've asked nicely!" I replied. "One doesn't usually think things will end well when they're being pinned against a hard wooden bookshelf in the school library! – "

"Do you want to raise your voice even louder or get this over with? I would choose the latter!" He retorted.

I sighed, and frowned, crossing my arms bossily. "Well what is it? What do you want?"

He paused for a moment. He was obviously unsure about what he was going to say.

"Are you playing mind games on me?"

I choked internally. Did I really just hear that come out of his mouth? I wanted to scoff, laugh, and snort all at the same time. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to hold in my laughter.

"I'm sorry?"

He saw my urge to laugh, and as I struggled to hold it in, he looked at me again, but this time all I saw in his eyes was hurt. He stepped away from me.

"Just forget it. Forget I mentioned anything." He went to leave, but before he could I grabbed his arm. He looked at me, slightly incredulous at the fact that I had dared to touch him. I knew I was wrong. He had obviously been serious, and even if I wouldn't believe what he was saying, I could at least give him a chance to explain to me.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed. Please try and explain to me?" I said to him, my fingers still lingering on the fabric of his robes.

He looked right about ready to hex me, but he remained silent.

"Draco?" I quipped.

He sighed, and turned back to me. It hadn't really occurred to me before, but whenever I said his name, he seemed to become so much more relaxed.

"You already think this is hilarious, but I was wondering what type of game you're playing? It really isn't funny and I'd love to get back to my life now."

I stared at him wordlessly.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" He warned me sternly. I honestly didn't.

"Who said I was acting?" I replied. He groaned tiredly.

"This is why I didn't want to talk to you about it! You always think everything is so funny and easy to work out. This isn't easy for me, alright?"

"_Excuse me?_" I heard myself reply. I had the strongest urge to punch him. Who the hell did he think he was? If anything he was the one that always took everything as a joke. He had no idea how much I was struggling because of him right now, and if he had the audacity to –

"You heard me! I bet you're simply rolling in happiness at the fact that you get to control my thoughts Granger? Well I'm on to you, and I'm not going to let you control me anymore! Whatever love potion or spell you've put on me to lust for you isn't working, and you better give me the antidote right now or I'll force it out of you!" He slammed his hand against the shelf, trapping me in my spot. I fought the urge to whimper. He could be quite frightening when he wanted to.

Love potion? _Lust?_ Why was he telling me all of these things?

"I didn't give you anything!" I almost screamed back. He scoffed.

"Oh really? Then how do you explain all of these dreams I've been having about you? What about all of the times I've tried to think about other things when all I could focus on is you? What are you playing at Granger?"

I stared in disbelief, and for a moment, my eyes went through him, into my thoughts, where I replayed the dreams I had been having about him.

"_Dreams?_" I whispered my eyes unable to focus. Everything was a dull buzz. I wanted to tell him, to tell him everything I had felt in the past few weeks, to tell him that I ….

That I knew _exactly_ how he felt.

"Yes. Dreams." he replied quietly. "Multiple ones, every night for the past few weeks and I need them to stop.

"Dreams of what?" I heard myself asked dazedly.

He bit his lip and looked at me. He cleared his throat.

"I…...I can't quite say….."

I stayed quiet for a very long time, still staring outwards at nothing. A few times I felt him look over his shoulder to find out why I had been staring. He was about to leave when I opened my mouth again. My eyes regained focus and I looked at him brazenly.

"I know how you feel. I don't know why. All I can say is that I've been having them too."

I took him by surprise, and his eyes widened slightly.

"You're lying. This is all part of your silly little game."

"You have my word. I promise you that what I'm telling you is the _truth_."

For once, there was an awkward silence between us. He looked deranged.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know."

"For once the brightest witch of the age doesn't have an answer." He smirked.

I looked up at him defiantly, ignoring his comment.

"Are you going to tease me or are you going to help me figure this out? I don't want to be stuck in your head forever you know."

"I never said I wouldn't, nor did I say I wanted you to be. Although we all know I'm in every girl's head anyways…among other places." He winked at me.

"You're disgusting." I retorted, wiping that smirk right off of his face. I leant down to pick up the books that he had made me drop.

"Damn." I heard him say. If I caught if staring at my butt I would punch him just like in third year. I looked up, only to see him leaning down next to me. Having him this close to me was actually a bit overwhelming. His hair was a blinding white with a few golden strands, and his stormy grey blue eyes bored into mine. He made me quite insecure sometimes.

"What now?"

He smiled slightly. "You must be an insomniac. That would be the only way you would have time to read all of these books.

I couldn't help but smile a little too.

"Actually, I am, but just a bit."

He looked pleasantly surprised.

"What?" I asked him curiously, for the second time.

"Looks like I can do other things to your thoughts besides have you dreaming of me." He responded devilishly.

I shook my head and stood up, books stacked neatly beside my feet. To my surprise, he held one out to me.

"'The_ Whisper of the Night by Gredaculus Scrunch'?_" He asked, while he began to flip through the large, heavy book. "Well this doesn't seem like a very good read. 'The Barings plant of the southeast Asia has the power to put not only humans to sleep, but animals as well' ", he mimicked in a deep gravelly voice.

I couldn't help but laugh and as I tried to stifle it, he raised one eyebrow at me, but chuckled as well. We quieted down, not wanting Madam Pince to barge in here and discover us. Knowing her, she would probably get the wrong idea and send us to Professor Dumbledore.

"Well I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad, but I was actually going to look into it for –"

Malfoy interrupted me, a serious look on his face as he looked into the book.

"If two beings of the same species are being plagued by inexpressible thoughts, feelings and or reactions towards one another, especially through sleep, then to exercise the connection and possibly gain more insight on it, they must connect on an emotional level brought through physical contact." He finished reading and looked up to stare at me.

I felt a twinge of intuition creep into my system. That was exactly what I was planning on looking for. How on earth he had found it by simply scanning through a book that was a thousand and two pages, I would never know. It was almost as if the book itself knew exactly what we both wanted.

"This is it." I heard Draco say, as I stared at the book in his hand in complete shock. I bit my lip worriedly.

"What are we going to do?" I had so many questions I had wanted to ask him besides that, it was strange.

"Well you heard the book. We have to engage in…._physical activity._ "

I looked at him stubbornly. "We are _not _going to do what you're insinuating!"

He looked at me innocently, but I could see the deviance in his eyes. "Who said I was insinuating anything Granger? You're obviously the one with your mind in the gutter. Of course we won't sleep together! Not to worry, my little virgin." He said while patting my head.

I blushed a bright red, and I could feel the heat spread from my forehead to my chest.

"I am not –!", but before I could finish my sentence, his finger was lightly resting against my lips.

"If we have time for anything, we certainly _don't_ have time for your rabid blabber, Granger. Now are we going to do this or not?" he asked me, raising his brows and smirking. He could be _so _annoying at times. I decided that it would be better if I just cursed him in my head instead of out loud. He would only twist my words anyways.

"Fine. The book says that depending on the two individuals, even the slightest touch of hands could give us what we're looking for. If not, then we have to keep trying until we get it. Let's start with the fingers." I said grumpily, wanting to get this over with.

Malfoy shrugged nonchalantly and held up his finger for a moment, so that it touched the tip of mine. We waited.

"How long is this supposed to take, anyways?" He asked impatiently. Typical Malfoy, impatient and ungrateful.

"It says it should work in no longer than ten seconds. If it doesn't then –"

"Then it obviously doesn't work!" He interrupted _again_, removing his finger from mine. It was like dealing with a bratty six year old.

'_With startlingly blue eyes and gorgeous hair' _

I frowned. "Next one then."

So far we had tried holding hands, intertwining our fingers, shaking hands, holding on to each other's robes, touching hairs, stepping on his foot (which I thoroughly enjoyed) , and even _hugging_.

After I stepped on his foot, harder than I should have, Draco became excessively cranky, becoming even rougher with each thing we tried.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed as he yanked on one of my curls. He smiled grimly.

"Payback is a bitch, isn't she?" was all he said, smug as ever.

"Get off of your fucking high horse", I muttered as I rubbed my sore scalp. Ignoring me, he grabbed my hand and kissed it. My eyes widened in surprise as his lips remained on my hand. It tickled slightly.

"What are you doing?"

"We're not done yet."

I went to protest, but he closed in on me, his body pressing me back against the hard familiar shelf. I paused for a moment. I still wanted to go on with experiment, but I was nervous. Having him this close to me made me hold my breath, and I didn't want him getting the wrong idea. I was still shocked that he had initiated this portion and was willingly pressed up against me. This felt oddly familiar, and the nostalgia gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I shut my eyes. I heard robes shift, and not to soon after, Malfoy's lips were against my pulse. I felt him breathe in against me, and when he exhaled, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. There was no sound except the sound of our breathing. He began kissing the ridge of my ear. I had to do this. There were obviously other ways to conduct this experiment, but my brain was really working at the moment.

"Feel anything yet?" He said, his voice going straight into my ear. It startled me, and I felt myself jump slightly. Draco's firm hand was on my waist.

"A bit." I whispered back. I didn't know where my voice had gone.

By the time he had reached my cheek, the feeling of nostalgia had been turned up by three hundred notches. I opened my eyes. His shoulder was right in my view and I focused my eyes there. It gave me the stability that closing my eyes had not. After a few moments by my cheek, he pulled back and stared at me. My eyes automatically shot up to meet his just as a licked his lips. I knew what was going to happen next, the familiarity of it was strong. Should I have stopped it? I don't know. Could I have? I still didn't know.

By the time Draco had lightly pressed his lips against mine, my thoughts had already stopped working on their own accord, and there was a slight, sharp feeling in my body. His shoulder shifted and he pulled back, his eyes worried.

"Did you feel that?" He breathed.

I couldn't reply. All I could do to bring it back was nod and grab his face, pressing his lips harder against mine. He made a sound of surprise, and brought a hand over my head on the wood to balance us. A wave of something frighteningly real and magical hit me with such a force that I couldn't help but cry out. It was like when you were little and you fell, and there was that slight moment that felt like eternity, where you didn't know whether you were hurt or not, but _something_ hurt and you cried anyways. _This_ hurt. It hurt, and it was familiar and comforting all at the same time. It was dull, and it was bright, and it blinded my senses into oblivion. It was like that short moment when you're at the top of a roller coaster, and your stomach drops as you go down.

I realized that Draco was holding me so hard that it hurt, but I didn't blame him. The feel of the sensation between us was overwhelming, and he could only do so much to control it. Before I could finish my thought, I was being propped up in Draco's arms and I could do nothing but wrap my legs around his waist. He groaned, and I gripped his soft hair, caressing his face. It felt too good to kiss him, but I couldn't be bothered to feel guilty. I didn't know when he decided to let me go, but eventually he did. Slowly, he slid me down, making sure I landed on my feet. His breaths were labored, and I'm sure mine were too.

"That was…. –"

"I know", I breathed. I looked down to see that my fingers were still gripping fistfuls of his robes. I tried my best to smooth them out. "Sorry", I added.

He shook his head slightly. "No need."

I stared at him for a moment.

"So did you figure it out?"

"Well –"

There was a sudden sharp rapping at the door, and I jumped. Draco slid into the corner, and hid.

"Miss Granger?" Madam Pince's sharp voice called out.

"Yes?" I called out. Had she been watching this whole time? My stomach churned in fear.

"Your time is _up_!" She scolded. Draco and I both let out a breath of relief.

"Coming!" I leant down to pick up my books when Malfoy grabbed my arm. "Wednesday, after dinner, the tree." I whispered, gathering my things. He would know which tree I was talking about. He let me go, and I hurried to the door. I took the keys with me because I knew that Draco knew a secret way to get back to the Slytherin dungeons from here, all of them did. I looked back, and I could've sworn I saw the swish of a black and green robe. Pince had already walked back to her desk.

"Don't forget!" I whispered, before shutting the door and locking it.

I finally felt like I was in control. I didn't have to cry and worry and feel guilty. Draco and I were going to figure this out, and then I would have my life back. Happier than I had ever been this whole month, I walked to the checkout desk and released my books, holding '_The Whisper of the Night by Gredaculus Scrunch '_particularly close.

VVVVV

Hey Guys! So it's been a bit of a wait hasn't it? School has started and whatnot, but I'm going to try and update as much as I can! **Reviews, Constructive criticism and ideas are welcome! **Love to all!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Still own nothing but the plot.

It was Wednesday, and the giant clock tower on top of Hogwarts had just struck seven, meaning that dinner was over. The food began to magically disappear from the plates, and the plates began to stack themselves into high piles and levitate into the kitchen hall. Without a word, I silently began to gather my things and remove myself from the table, when Ron suddenly grabbed the hem of my sleeve.

"Where are you off to?"

"My room, where else Ronald?" I heard myself snap waspishly at him. I softened my voice. "Sorry for that. I'm just a bit tired. Goodnight." I didn't wait for Harry, Ron or Ginny to reply, but instead I hurried away and didn't look back, knowing that I wouldn't be able to handle the suspicious look that would be adorning Ron's face. Earlier he had wondered why I had brought my bag to dinner, and I had brushed him off. I wouldn't be able to talk to him again without letting something out, and I knew that. It would be best for Ron to stay out of this, Harry and Ginny as well.

Silently, I snuck through the doors of the castle and began to speed walk towards the back where the large oak trees stood. It was dark, and I could barely make out their shape, but at the same time, I didn't want to bring out my wand, just in case there was a teacher watching the grounds. I would get in tons of trouble if I were to be caught, so it was best to remain hidden in the darkness.

"Damn", I whispered as I reached the trees. There were about ten, and in the dark, it was nearly impossible to tell which one I had sat in the other day. Straining my eyes to see, I realized that it was no use. I would either have to risk using my wand, or go back the castle. I sighed.

Suddenly, I heard a twig crack on the ground, and I whirled around, my breath caught in my throat. I tried to control myself, but my imagination in the dark was heightened by tenfold.

"Who's there?" I whispered. A tall dark figure stood out from behind a tree, their striking silvery blond hair standing out in the moonlight.

"Who do you think?" Malfoy replied. I let out a giant breath of relief, and he stood and looked at me.

"You know Granger, you should really learn to get a hold of your nerves. There's nothing out here to be afraid of. I would've thought hanging out with Potter taught you that, if anything."

I scoffed. "You really have some nerve, Malfoy. I'm sorry that I'm not a slimy git like you that has no problem creeping around in the darkness. You'll _have_ to excuse me."

Although it was dark, I could tell he was smirking. "You didn't think I was such a slimy git when you pounced on me in the library, Hermione."

I went to retort, but I forgot what I was going to say when I heard my name come out of his mouth.

"What did you call me?"

There was a moment of silence between us, and crickets chirped, filling the air with their harmonies.

"Am I not allowed to call you that? Fine, back to Granger then." He replied, and something in the tone of his voice made it difficult to decipher whether he was just musing or…_upset? _

_He couldn't be. There was no way. _

It seemed as if he had been awaiting my answer, and when I didn't give him one, he began to walk away.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

He turned slightly, and gestured me to follow him. I ran to catch up with him, but he kept walking. Typical Malfoy behavior. After a few paces he stopped, and I nearly slammed into his back. From my proximity to him, I could smell his cologne, which contained hints of musk, ginger, and something citrusy. It was extremely captivating, and dark, not to mention alluring. He turned his head, and his hair glinted in the moonlight. He realized that I was right behind him, and went to sit at the small bench by the lake. When I didn't follow his gesture, he smiled slightly, and patted the spot next to him. In slight shock, I sat beside him.

What was with him today?

"So?" He asked. Wordlessly, I reached into my bag and pulled out '_The Whisper of the Night'_, and placed it on his lap. He raised an eyebrow as he skimmed through the book. "Creepy, isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

I was beginning to get a bit impatient. I didn't like the way how he was acting like nothing had happened between us in the library, and I wasn't here to discuss how creepy the book was with him.

"Seriously, Malfoy? You know we aren't here to discuss _that_."

He shut the book, and looked at me appraisingly. "Well what else is there to discuss, Granger? Yes, we kissed. Yes, we both felt something that we can't figure out for the life of us. What else do you want? I only came out here because I thought _you_ _knew_ what you were doing."

I felt anger bite at my conscience. "So is that it then? You just automatically expected me to know what I was doing. Don't you dare try to blame all of this on me, you had a part in this too. You were the one the kissed me."

"Oh and because I wanted to?" He retorted, his voice becoming louder and sharper. "Are you really that daft? I can't control this, and I thought you knew that! I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for you to have this type of affect on me, but it happened, alright? I can't believe you would actually think that I would want _you_."

I recoiled for a moment, trying to delude myself from the fact that that had actually _hurt_. Something inside me burned with agony, and I couldn't tell him why. I couldn't tell myself either. He must've seen my reaction, because he bit his lip for a moment and said nothing. No matter how hard I had tried to cover it up, he saw. He always did.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. We only kissed because we had to. Whether you want me or not has not effect on me." I replied, my voice coming out more harshly than I had meant it to be. He nodded, running his fingers across the pages of the book. As I turned to get something from my bag, I heard him hiss.

"Ouch!"

I turned toward him and saw his whole index finger covered in blood as he pushed the book away from him. Without a word, I grabbed his hand, smirking slightly when it tensed, and tapped my wand against it, making the wound disappear completely. Although I had finished, he had yet to remove his hand from mine. Something his eyes looked undetermined, and I bit my lip for his response. What was wrong with him?

_What was wrong with me? _

"Thanks", he mumbled, slowly taking his hand away from mine. I cleared my throat and let another moment pass by.

"So are we going to try and figure this out? Otherwise this whole meeting is just pointless."

"Of course", I replied to him. "I suppose we should start with the –"

"The kiss?"

"Probably."

"Which one?" He joked, raising one of his brows. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. He smiled something I had never truly seen him do, at least properly anyways. This smile was different. It was bright and happy, not malicious and snarky like all of the other ones I'd seen him wear. After our laughter had faded, I still couldn't help but look at him. Something was different. Maybe it was because I had never really taken the time to acknowledge his face, or actually have a nice peaceful talk with him.

"I know this awkward, but I have to admit, I'm glad we're going to figure this out….together." I whispered.

He turned his head towards me, the remnants of that bright smile still remaining on his lips.

"Me too."

Something inside me twisted with warmth but instinctively, I pushed it away. We stayed quiet for a moment, while he pondered his thoughts, and I pondered my feelings.

"When I kissed you, Granger, did you feel anything? I mean….inside of you?" He asked.

_He had no idea. _

"Yes." I whispered. "It felt like a thousand needles prodding at my body, but in a good way, kind of like electric, but not as cliché. It felt like I was –"

"Somewhere else? It felt like an outer body experience. As if you were trying to tell me something. I can't figure this out, and we won't be able to do it alone. You know that."

I nodded. I felt the exact same way, but what were we supposed to do? Go to Dumbledore? Snape? Who could help?

"Right now, all we're going to have to guide us is books." I replied firmly. He nodded.

"Well in that case, it seems like we'll be working together a bit more than expected Granger." He paused for a moment.

"How about a truce?"

I sat quietly for a moment. Draco Malfoy wanted to have a truce with me, a mudblood? I knew better than to trust him, but something told me I should. This would be the only way for us to get our lives back sooner. I nodded and we shook hands on it.

"Truce." I sighed.

He had a weird expression on his face, as if he were biting back a smile.

"Good. Because I don't work well with my enemies."

I smiled.

Maybe we were more alike than I'd thought.

VVVVV

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, things are going to get pretty intense soon, hopefully! Reviews and constructive criticism are definitely welcomed! Thanks loves!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Everything besides my thoughts belongs to the wondrous JK Rowling. Thank her.

Ch. 17

Draco's POV

Well. I, Draco Malfoy, had made a truce with Hermione Granger, Potter pal extraordinaire, The Gryffindor Princess.

Funny, right?

Why I had done it in the first place, I couldn't say. Something about her that night had made me change my mind. Although she was not the reason for me not hating muggles anymore, I decided to make that decision on my own after realizing how stupid I had been over the years, believing whatever my father thought was best, I still couldn't figure out why I would've wanted a truce with her anyways. We were complete opposites, she was everything I wasn't. She actually inspired people, when she wasn't getting on their nerves with her know it all behavior. She had gotten a bit better at controlling that over the years, I suppose. Instead of practically leaping out of her chair to answer a question like she used to, the past few years she would calmly raise her hand, and if the teacher didn't call on her, then she didn't persist. Even though they usually did.

Another problem was that I had let her name slip through my lips. Although I had played it cool, to be honest it scared me. It had literally came out of nowhere, one of those spur of the moment things where you caught yourself before you went too far. Even she had been shocked, asking me what I had said to make sure.

Thank God I was good at lying. If I wasn't, who knew what would've happened?

After we had agreed to our little truce, the conversation really started. At first we began to talk about the kiss, but slowly we got into how long this weird feeling had been going on, and to my surprise, it started happening to both of us at around the same time. We agreed that we had had dreams of one another, although we didn't get into the details, blushing too hard to even think of saying them. Minus that, our conversation wasn't awkward in least, when I had expected it to be. As a matter of fact, I was surprised at the fact that we could even have a conversation at all. There was something about sitting and just talking with her that was peaceful and somewhat therapeutic.

We were comfortable around each other the longer we talked.

Caught off guard, I immediately wiped a smile from my face.

It didn't mean we were friends. That wouldn't be possible to matter how hard we tried. We were just acquaintances and nothing more.

As if I would want to be friends with a know it all anyways.

Somewhere inside of myself I realized that it might not be that bad.

Possibly.

vvvvv

Hermione's POV

It was November, and the leaves on the trees were beginning to become frail and brown, with a chilly wind to match.

Things were different.

Besides the weather, my life was beginning to have new parts in it.

Namely, a certain Slytherin named Draco Malfoy.

I know what you're thinking, and no the bond that we had was not romantic, nor was it turning into one. It was just that we had started to become _a lot_ closer than before. Were we friends? I didn't know.

Possibly.

Acquaintances? Certainly.

Since the meeting, we had been scheduling more ever since, and saw each other all of the time, almost every day, and when we didn't, we would owl one another messages. Researching our little issue had become quite a hobby of ours, almost an obsession. So far, we hadn't found much in the few weeks we had been doing this. The only things that had helped us were books. We had made several trips to the library, trying to avoid the times when it was filled was students. Sometimes we would meet there, outside, or in one of our rooms. This had only been twice, but both times it had been in my room, because Draco's was too near the Slytherin common rooms, and that would've made another obstacle.

The most important part was that now we were finally getting along. Sometimes, we would even get off track and talk to each other about our personal lives with one another, not too in depth though, and about school. Draco was also, extremely funny. He had quite a knack for poking fun at teachers, and students that annoyed him. Sometimes he would even poke fun at me, but it was never malicious. It finally seemed like he was getting over being such a jerk.

It was now officially a month since we had been researching, and I sat with Ron and Harry in the library, trying to help them with their homework. Perhaps it was because I felt guilty that I had spent such little time with them these days. Harry had Ginny though, so he didn't realize that I had been spending less time with them. Ron on the other hand seemed a bit lonelier. I was going to make it up to him one of these days, probably on the next Hogsmeade trip, which was this Saturday, two days away.

"Hermione, what would you put for this question?" Harry asked me. I looked over at his paper and saw that it was a multiple choice question. I made a clucking sound with my tongue.

"Well I can't very well give you the answer now can I? Here's a hint though. It's either A or C."

Harry gave me a knowing smile, not surprised at my answer, and nodded, returning to his paper. I looked over to see Ron scribbling furiously. It felt like I hadn't seen him in days. Sure, we ate lunch and had classes together, but when was the last time I had really sat and talked to him like we used to?

I used to tell Ron everything. Of course I told Harry things as well, as best friends should, but Ron was the listener of the two. I could tell him anything, and he wouldn't try and ask me why I was feeling these things, or anything like that. He was able to involve himself fully by just observing, and he was always there when I needed him. Things were never always like that though, as we had been having problems with one another from fourth year and below. During fifth year, we worked on our friendship, and it became solid, for the most part. Our friendship was a responsibility and sometimes even a challenge. But we loved it. We loved each other.

Throughout the years, Ron had definitely changed, for the better. His attitude was more mature, as well as his face. His fiery red hair was growing out and his jaw had become more defined. He was Gryfinndor's Quidditch keeper, and that had definitely benefitted him body wise. Hell, everyone found Ron attractive, he was one of the most sought out boys in our grade besides Harry. Another thing that drove the girls crazy was his personality. He was nice to everyone, hilarious, to the extent that during the years he had made me pee myself quite a few times. He was helpful, kind, and the biggest sweetheart when he wanted to be.

I suppose I was lucky and unlucky with him in both ways.

All of the girls in my year would often tell me he was absolutely crazy about me. Did I believe them? Yes. The problem was that we always managed to like one another and different times, putting us in an awkward stage, the forever friend zone. Somehow I knew that I would always love Ron, but just not in that way. Taking myself out of my thoughts, I realized that he was staring at me.

"You okay Mione?" He asked me, wondering. I cleared my throat and looked away, nodding.

I was okay.

And I wanted our relationship to be too.

VVVVV

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews or comments anyone?


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot

Ch. 18

The school was going positively mad.

When I had woken up this morning, I found an owl waiting on my desk with a letter tied to its foot. I groggily viewed the letter, which happened to come from Dumbledore and the rest of the staff. It read,

_Miss Granger,_

_The staff has seen it fit to have a wondrous winter ball this December the 16__th__. We want the students to be able to take a break from their classes as everyone's marks have been excellent this year. Consider this a little reward for yourself as well. We request that you attend a meeting this Wednesday regarding you and the Head Boy to continue discussing this event._

_Best Wishes,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

News traveled fast around Hogwarts. By the time I had gone to breakfast, everyone was talking about it, potentially scoping out possible dates with their eyes as they did. I paid no attention. I didn't see how not being asked to some little ball could get people so upset. Sure, it would be flattering to be asked, but if I wasn't, that was fine too. Some of the girls, Lavender for example, would probably cry if she wasn't asked. Then again, she was one of the most beautiful girls in our grade, with long flowing golden hair and perfect features, not to mention her flawless figure. Every guy wanted her, and at this rate, she was probably turning down dates! Me, on the other hand? I would say I was quite the opposite of her. I was medium height, not too tall and not too short, with small breasts and a small butt, and crazy curly hair. I didn't have a button nose, or nice full lips, or pretty colored eyes. I was just average.

I was okay with that though. I had learned to appreciate the beauty in myself, and besides, there were more things besides beauty in life, and let's just say that Lavender Brown wasn't the smartest of the bunch. After breakfast, I went back to the common room for a bit of light reading. I didn't have any classes today as I thought I had, waking up and thinking that it was Monday instead of Sunday. Luckily I had been wrong. The common room was empty. I sat down in my favorite chair and took out a new book that I had just started yesterday. I was fifty pages in and it was really starting to get interesting. I sat there for a few minutes, before a pair or warm hands clasped over my eyes. A certain someone had quite a habit of doing that to me.

"Ron!" I exclaimed, putting my hands over his and lifting them over my eyes. Once I could see again, I turned around, seeing his smiling face. For some reason I was surprised to see that Harry was not at his side.

"Hey you", he said, before lifting me from my chair and enveloping me in his arms. I sighed at the contact, and wrapped my arms around his neck. Lately I had been having this _want_ to be around him all the time, and when I got the chance, it was bliss. My knees pressed into the chair's soft seat cushion as he supported me. When we let go, I stood up for a moment and he dived into my chair.

"Hey!" I slapped his arm. Crossing my arms, I sat on the arm of the chair, before he put a hand around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. Ron and I had always been questioned for the way we acted around each other, and were often been mistaken for girlfriend and boyfriend. We weren't shy with one another, and often hugged. Then there were times like this.

Ron rested his head against my arm and sighed.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, looking at him. Lately he had been acting a bit morose, and sometimes even moody.

He paused for a moment.

"Do you feel like we're losing our friendship?"

I was speechless, because I hadn't realized he had been thinking that way too.

"What are you saying Ronald? You, Harry and I are perfectly fine. Just because he's been a little busy with Ginny –"

"Come off it Hermione, you know what I meant."

When he used my full name, a lot of the times it meant he was being serious. I looked down at my hands, peeking at him through my eyelashes when I needed to see the expression on his face.

"What do you want me to say Ron? I feel like if we acknowledge it, it could actually make it worse. What if it's just a phase? Our friendship has always been…" I paused there, because I could find a word to describe it.

"Rough?" Ron replied timidly. I nodded.

"Maybe it's my fault then." He continued, playing with a seam on my jean. I knew why he had said it. Although we had never really said anything out loud, it was obvious that we liked each other at certain stages of our friendship, and it lingered, showing itself here and there. He had also been the first to kind of admit that he had liked me, but it to everyone it had been obvious. Even Harry could see it.

"Well then maybe we should discuss this when I'm _not _sitting on your lap", I said, smiling wryly. He smiled at my humor and then looked at me with an unfathomable gaze.

"I've really missed you, Mione."

I smiled. "I've missed you more." He beamed. Why couldn't we work? Something inside of me told me that wasn't really what I wanted from him. But where was that coming from exactly? My brain or my heart?

I hugged him again and when I pulled away, Dean Thomas was entering through the portrait whole.

"I need to ask you something." Ron said to me, slightly timid yet content at the same time. At the moment he opened his mouth, I heard Dean's voice instead.

"Hey Hermione", he said to me, smiling. He looked me up and down and then said, "Do you think we could have a little talk later? Maybe before dinner?" he glanced at Ron, but then looked away furtively. He must've not liked the look that Ron had given him. I fought the urge to laugh. I was confused. Dean and I rarely talked, and when we did, it was mostly him asking for me for help in a subject or to send a message to Ron or Harry.

"Sure?" I smiled. He grinned at me and then brushed his fingers over mine.

"I'll see you later then." He said gently, before going up to the boy's dormitory.

How weird.

Once he had left, I looked down to see that Ron's fingers had been gripping my waist, and that he had a rather stony look on his face.

"Ron? You said you had something to tell me?" I wondered if he was mad. He stayed silent for a moment and then took his hand from my waist.

"Forget what I said. I should go now. I promised Professor Binns that I'd see him about my essay."

I knew that wasn't the real reason why he wanted to leave.

"I can help you with that!" I said in earnest, trying to get him to stay. But he had already gently taken me off of his lap and started towards the door. When he reached to turn the knob, I gave it one last try.

"Ron?" I whispered quietly. He turned slightly, letting me see the hurt look on his face. "Talk to me."

He paused for a moment and opened the door wider.

"There's nothing to talk _about _Mione."

Then he left me, confused and alone in the Gryffindor Common Room, the only sound being the door slamming shut.

VVVVV

Draco's POV

Were they serious?

A winter ball sounded stupid and unnecessary to me, especially since I would have to be partially responsible for decorating it, making sure the students were satisfied with it, _and_ find a date. These created a series of problems.

One, I didn't want to be in charge of anything I didn't care about, including this stupid, pointless ball.

Two, I didn't give a flying fuck if the students would be happy or not.

And the third was the worst of all. Out of all the girls at Hogwarts, I couldn't think of anyone I would want to be my date. No one in my league had the full package that I would want, beauty, brains, talent, and wit. Blood status counted too I suppose, but as long as I didn't go with a squib I would be fine.

At least they weren't assigning dates. Then there would be a chance that I would get stuck with Millicent Bulstrode or Eloise Midgen, maybe even one of the talkative, gossipy Patil twins. But at least those two were pretty. The only person that I could think of possibly taking or the only one that would want to go with me at all would be Pansy. Of course, I would have to apologize for the last time we were together, when I had actually and accidentally yelled out Granger's name.

Granger.

I imagined asking her. We got along now anyways, and she was decent. She was smart, witty, and as much as I wouldn't like to admit it, very, very pretty, especially when she dressed up. She rarely did, the last time I had ever seen her in a dress was fourth year, and she rarely wore makeup. The few times I had seen her wear makeup would be if she had a date, or sometimes even around Weasley. Here and there I would see her wearing gloss, or some of that eye stuff that all the girls had on. I would be stupid to say that it didn't enhance her beauty, but she really didn't need it. I quite preferred her the way she was when she was with _me_, sometimes in a simple jumper and jeans or her school shirt and skirt, sans robe or tie.

Although I thought these things, I would never admit them, not to her or to anyone, not even Blaise. We weren't even friends, me and Hermione. Thinking to ask her, thinking that she would ever say yes?

That was just stupid.

It looked like I would be going solo, or end up going with Pansy.

Deal with a nagging, frivolous, yet extremely attractive girl by my side all night, practically trying to fuck me in public?

Or go alone and see what comes out of it? I had about three weeks to figure it out.

At least I knew I wouldn't be taking Granger.

Not now, not _ever_.

VVVVV

Hey guys! I know it's been awhile since I've updated, schools been pretty hard on me, but I promise I will try and update whenever I can! I just want to thank all of you that have been sticking with the story! As for Draco/Hermione, they didn't have an encounter in this chapter, but that was because I wanted to show that Hermione has had a bit of a past with Ron and that they are close. Ron will be becoming even more involved in this story, and there will be some encounters with him against Draco, but we'll see how that goes! Thanks for reading and I hope you review! Please? **Comments and constructive criticism are most welcomed! **Also, who do you think Hermione, Ron and Draco should go to that ball with? Love to all!


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I will always own nothing but my plot.

Ch. 19

Dean had meant it when he said he would catch up with me later. While I was walking to dinner, without Harry, Ron, who was definitely mad at me, or Ginny, he caught up with me in the hallway. I turned around as he lightly tugged on my elbow for my attention. He was a lot taller than me, just like Ron, so I had to look up at him a little to see him speak.

"Hey", he smiled.

Still unsure of what he wanted, I smiled graciously back.

"Hi Dean, you had to tell me something?" I wondered. He smiled shyly, but his confident build made him seem less shy.

"Um, more like ask you something", he paused for a few moments and looked at me with appraising eyes. "You wouldn't happen to have a date to the ball already….would you?"

He was asking _me_ to the _dance_? I thought he had been planning to ask me for help on the Binns essay, or maybe some potions homework. Who knew?

"I don't actually, I was actually planning on just helping decorate it." I smiled.

He beamed. "Well good, because I was really hoping that you could go with me. That is, if you'd like to, of course." I beamed back.

"I'd love to."

He leaned over and hugged me, looking especially happy. "Great! So I'll see you later?"

"Definitely", I replied.

He bid goodbye to me and ran up to catch up with his friends, where Seamus patted him on the back. I smiled. Who would've thought that I would be going to the ball with Dean Thomas? He was one of the most popular guys in our year, he was nice, and a killer with girls, not to mention extremely attractive. He had dark curly hair, light brown eyes, and dark, beautiful copper brown skin. He was also a chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, which made is body unbelievable. Strong arms and chest, not to mention abs. He was a really nice and perfectly adorable boy. I was lucky to be going with him, not to mention have a date for the ball at all. I turned around to head towards to the Great Hall again, but at the end of the hallway I saw three people, one with an especially hurt and angry look on his face.

Ron, Harry, and Ginny had seen my talk with Dean, and it was obvious by Ron's face that they had definitely heard our conversation. I wanted to explain, at least try to make things better for Ron, but he just stormed into the Great Hall, Harry and Ginny following him after giving me apologizing looks. Ron had a temper, and the best they could do to make it up to me was make me see that they weren't upset with me. I couldn't help but see that Harry looked a bit disappointed, but whether it was at me or Ron, I couldn't tell. What was I supposed to do though? If someone perfectly eligible wanted me to be their date for the ball, why refuse them? It was my choice to go with Dean, and if Ron had a problem with it, well then that was just too bad! _He wasn't my boyfriend! _

_He could've been._ But he _wasn't. _

Things would've been easier that way, but they weren't.

I was tired of this game of tug of war.

VVVVV

It was Wednesday, and Draco and I had been excused from our afternoon classes to discuss the winter ball with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. When I arrived at Dumbledore's office, I saw that Draco had beat me there, and was sitting in an armchair besides the empty one that was presumably for me, with one leg cross over his knee, looking quite aristocratic. I couldn't help hide the fact that his ridiculous poise and overall general attractiveness was making me look bad. Plus he had arrived earlier than me, and even though I wasn't late, when it came to meetings, I was a stickler for being on time. At the sound of my entrance, I saw Draco's light blond head turn slightly, appraising me.

"Ah, Miss Granger! We have been waiting your arrival! I trust that Mr. Malfoy has been lonely, as Professor McGonagall and I have been discussing quietly amongst ourselves in wait of your attendance."

"Good afternoon to both of you, and I am truly sorry for making you wait, I had to convince Professor Wresters to let me leave his class." I said, ignoring Draco completely. He seemed to look more arrogant than ever today. Whatever.

Dumbledore waved his hand to me. "No need, no need! You are just in time!"

I nodded and sat down, catching a whiff of Draco's alluring cologne again. It brought me back to the night of our truce, and while I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, with his stiff posture and stoic expression, he seemed like a completely different person. Now that I thought about it, each time I was with him or around him, he seemed to act differently. He was quite moody, and I wondered how Pansy ever dealt with him.

"So as you both know, the school will be holding a winter ball for the fifth years and above, with a slight accommodation for fourth year students, who may only attend if they have been asked by a fifth year student. We have planned to have the great hall decorated for this event, as it was for the Yule Ball three years ago, but this time we want to have it bigger and better. We want ice statues, servers, photographers, the whole package. We will also be asking the Weird Sisters to attend, and maybe even another band will be attending. While we will do all of the bookings for the ball, we ask that the both of you become in charge of the actual decorations for it. This will include moving things around to accommodate the sculptures, figuring out the seating charts, where the stage will be, color scheme and so on and so forth. This will be a great task, so be prepared to work hard."

Draco just stared blankly at him. "So you're saying it's me and Granger in charge of the whole thing? That sounds positively exciting. "

McGonagall sent him a reproachful look of warning and he shut up, but still didn't look happy. I on the other hand, was actually quite excited to see the outcome of this. But then again, when was I not excited to work?

Judging by the look on Draco's face, I'd be doing all of the work myself.

VVVVV

I sat in the empty great hall after dinner with Draco, drawing a blueprint of what the ball would be like. For the most part, I was doing the drawing, while he just sat there and relaxed beside me. He looked as if he were daydreaming. I understood that he wasn't the least bit interested in this, but if he could at least make one effort to help, it would be great. I knew one way to _make_ him help me.

Smiling, I said, "So I was thinking that everything should just be different shades of pink. Or maybe even red and gold?"

His head shot up from the table immediately, a look of defiance on his face.

"Definitely _not_."

"Excuse me, but last time I checked I was the only one decorating this stupid thing while _someone_ just lounged around like a piece of driftwood, so I get to pick what it's going to look like."

He grabbed the pencil out of my hand and scooted closer to me. He began to draw on the blueprint, making little notes here and there. I wondered what he was drawing. I wondered if he had just written something obscene on the paper, because he refused to let me watch him as he worked. The only sound in the room was the sound of the pencil scribbling against the page. After a few minutes of drawing, he pushed the blueprint away from him and put the pencil back in my hand.

"You wanted my help? Well there it is." He said, before putting his head back on the table, his arms covering his face.

I grabbed the paper and was about to retort when my eyes caught onto the page. In those few quick minutes, he had drawn a stage, a few areas for where the tables could be, and what the entrances could look like. His drawings were very elaborate and the décor looked classy and refined. He was extremely talented. I stared at them for a few moments. Did he realize he had this talent?

"Draco? This is completely off topic, but I have to ask. Have you ever taken art lessons?"

He raised his head slightly, with one eyebrow raised.

"No. Why?"

I stood there agape. "Your drawings, they're beautiful! I never knew you had any talents!"

He smirked, something I felt I hadn't seen him do in a while. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Hermione. I've been told I have a lot more talents besides drawing as well."

I blushed, at the fact that his sentence had been so suggestive, and because I was still not used to the way my name coming from his mouth. Although we had both agreed to call each other by our first names, as a part of our truce, we didn't do it all the time. He rarely used Hermione, and I suspected it was because he had a thing for calling me Granger, since he had been doing it for so long. I didn't really have much of a problem calling him Draco though, because I had done it even when we hadn't been friends.

_Friends. _

_Is that what we could be considered now?_

It seemed very different, going from being basically enemies, to acquaintances, to possible, actual friends. It felt safer and more stable to see him as an acquaintance. At the same time, I didn't know how he felt.

"Ew Draco, too much information there."

"Really? I wouldn't think so if I were you. After all, friends tell each other these things, don't they?" he said.

Caught off guard, I nodded slightly. "I suppose….yeah."

He smiled.

Maybe I did know how he felt after all.

VVVVV

So how do you guys like the story! I hope you're enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it! Also I want to give a big thanks to the people who have been giving me suggestions and ideas for the story, you know who you are! Thanks for reading and don't forget that **reviews, constructive criticism, and ideas are welcome! **Love to all!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: still nothing but the plot guys!

Ch. 20

This control she was beginning to have over me was starting to become ridiculous, not that it hadn't been from the beginning.

I sat in my bed, wondering what had come over me a few hours ago. I had been in the Great Hall with Hermione, trying to come up with a blueprint for the stupid winter ball when she had complained that I wasn't helping. Granted, I had been resting, almost falling asleep with my head resting against the table, so I didn't blame her. However, she hadn't expected me to draw something for her. I recalled the image in my head of her face when I had given back my sketches on the blueprint. Her face was flushed with disbelief, her eyes widening at the fact that I had actually done something worthy of her approval. Impressing her was starting to become increasingly easy.

And then I had called her my friend.

My _friend_.

And I hadn't regretted it.

It was a comfortable thing to do, see her as my friend. I knew that was weird of me, and especially unexpected, but what was I supposed to do? I couldn't just very well give up these feelings that I couldn't even decipher for her, or just ignore it, or her. We had agreed to work on these problems together, and we had been for a few weeks. Although we hadn't really found anything valuable to our issue, we had spent _a lot_ of time talking. It was to the point that we could talk about almost anything if we really got into intense discussion.

_Almost_ anything.

She had no problem mentioning her personal life at times, her parents, her friends, and rarely, issues with herself. She had a few of her own that for some reason, she felt that she could trust me enough to share. I knew I should be honest with her as well, but at that same time, why would she want to hear a sad little story about the life of a boy with an unmerciful death eater father and a helpless mother? I doubt that would help our little project at all. I looked over to my book shelf where _'The Whispers of the Night'_ lay. She had lent it to me to see if I could find anything interesting. I hadn't even looked at it.

The stupid winter ball wasn't contributing much either.

VVVVV

It was Hogsmeade weekend, which meant that today I would be out with Ginny, Parvati, Padma, Lavender, and Luna, looking at dresses for the upcoming Winter Ball. I looked at the clock on my bedside table.

It was time for breakfast.

After a quick shower, I decided to head down to the Great Hall. The common room was empty as I passed through it, so I walked to breakfast alone. It wasn't such a bad thing really, having some time alone. Lately, I had been plagued with work, and issues. I was spending a lot of time with Draco, and I hadn't really been talking to many of my friends. Ron and I hadn't said but about two sentences to each other this past week, especially since he had seen me and Dean talking in the hallway, and Harry and Ginny were too in love with one another to notice our problems. No matter how many times I had tried to tell myself that I would ignore Ron when he acted like this, I could never succeed in doing it. I went down the stairs and –

Well speak of the devil himself.

Near the entrance of the Great Hall, Ron himself leaned against the wall, surrounded by four girls. I noticed two of them, Emily Brisbrook, a giggly, redheaded seventh year Hufflepuff, and Sylvia Remsen, a seventh year Ravenclaw with dark, almost black hair, and bright blue eyes. The other two girls were blonde and brunette, and they leaned in on Ron, catching his every word. It was obvious that he was trying to be nonchalant about everything, but if anyone knew him as well as I did, he was inwardly relishing at the fact that he was surrounded by pretty, flirtatious girls. I watched as Sylvia placed a dainty hand on his arm and laughed.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, it hurt me to watch him flirt back with those girls, who were obviously desperate for a date to the ball. If I just stayed there I would be late to meeting the rest of the girls. I took a deep breath and calmed myself, before I walked past them. I didn't even bother to look at them. I wouldn't show him that I cared.

I would try, at least.

VVVVV

Blaise had basically had to drag me out of Hogwarts to get me to go to Hogsmeade with him. No matter how I had insisted that I was getting sick, he didn't tolerate my bullshit. He insisted that we weren't spending time with one another, and that he had loads to tell me.

So now we were in Hogsmeade, looking at broom wax and clippers.

"So what was so important that you had to drag me out of my nice warm bed?" I asked him, examining a pair of broom clippers that I wanted to buy.

Blaise chuckled. "Oh nothing really", he smirked, "I just wanted you to get out of the castle for once Drakey-poo."

I smacked him upside the head with the clippers and he winced.

"Don't ever call me that again. And you better have some news, or then I'll really hurt you."

"Well I asked Millicent Bulstrode to the ball and she said yes." He mused.

I burst out laughing, something I felt I hadn't done properly in a while. Blaise had always had a thing for poking fun at Millicent, as we all did, but he did it because she clearly had an enormous crush on him, and it had stayed with her since third year. After we finished laughing I managed to speak again.

"Honestly though, who did you ask?" I asked him.

He paused for a moment, toying with the tin of wax he held in his hand.

"Daphne Greengrass", he murmured. I nodded slightly. I approved.

Daphne was a well liked, pretty girl in our year. She was a Slytherin, with long, honey brown spiraling curls and an amazing figure. Daphne wasn't the problem at all. Blaise could get any girl he wanted, whenever he wanted. The problem was the only the girl he had ever wanted was Tracey Davis. He had gotten her alright, and they had stayed together for almost a year, making her the longest girlfriend that he had ever had. He had even confessed to me that he could've possibly been in love with her, and even though he wouldn't fully admit it, I knew he had been, and still was.

"And she said yes?"

"Of course she did!" Blaise said indignantly, as if I had hurt his pride. There was an awkward silence, as thoughts went unsaid. He was the first one to talk again.

"Have you found anyone yet?"

"Nope."

I hadn't really planned on asking anyone either. Quite frankly, I didn't care enough.

"I know Pansy's dying to go with you." He replied, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

We all knew that. Pansy was certainly beautiful, one of the most beautiful girls in school probably, but I couldn't bring myself to ask her. It was her damned personality, and the fact that her clinginess killed her attractiveness.

"We aren't even talking Blaise."

It was the truth. Pansy and I hadn't talked since I had almost yelled out Hermione's name under Pansy's advances, causing me to throw her off of my lap and bound towards my room. I had ended up telling Blaise about it, naturally. I hadn't wanted to, but he was my best friend, and I had _had_ to tell someone about it. I told Blaise almost everything, because he was too busy with his own problems to judge and make fun of mine.

One of the things he didn't know was that I was frequently meeting up with Hermione to discuss our little problem, and much more. It would be the elephant in the room if I discussed it with him.

That he would pay attention to.

"Well you should take her anyways. You haven't been talking to any girls for a while, and I think a date would be good for you. Plus, Pansy is always at your beck and call. You probably wouldn't even _have_ to ask her. All you would have to do is show up at her door." He suggested.

I shrugged and told him that I would think about it.

I had other girls on my mind besides Pansy.

Girls, _a certain girl_, rather, that was actually beginning to _matter_ to me.

VVVVV

"Does this dress make me look fat?" Parvati asked us, as she stepped out of her dressing booth at _Marcie's Magical Dresses and Dress Robes_. She was dressed in a strapless, fitted red bandage dress, which made her figure look amazing. I opened my mouth in shock, as did the other girls, amazed that she could even suggest such a thing.

"Are you kidding me?" Lavender exclaimed, "You look freaking amazing!"

Parvati blushed at the compliment and turned to see her sister, Padma, exit her changing room. She too, looked stunning. Her dress was also strapless, but with a chiffon skirt, and a deep purple, so deep that when it caught the light it almost turned indigo. She looked ravishing.

"Wait till Ernie see's you, Padma!" Luna exclaimed, making Padma smile widely. She and Ernie Macmillan had been romantically linked for a few weeks, and he had decided to ask her to the dance. All of the girls had a feeling that he would ask her out officially at the ball. Parvati was going with seventh year Ravenclaw Terry Boot, and Lavender with Seamus. Luna was the only one without a romantic date, but she said that suited her just fine. She wanted someone that could accept her fully, and if they couldn't she plainly just didn't care. I admired Luna. She never let anything or anyone stop her, regardless. We had tried to set her up with many boys in the past, and even for the ball, but she shook her head defiantly, and said,

"_If I can't find a guy that can handle me, I'm perfectly fine handling myself." _

Of course, she was shopping for a dress with us because she _had _been asked to the ball. Neville was taking her, as friends. Everyone knew that the two were inseparable, best friends since they had met in Dumbledore's Army two years ago. They were perfect for one another, and even they could see that. I think that they were just too scared of ruining their friendship in trade for a relationship. But wasn't there a saying that said best friends made the best lovers?

Whether I liked it or not, I couldn't help but relate Ron to that saying.

"Well I think I've found my dress", Ginny said, holding up a light, cream colored dress with a puffed skirt and black lace trimming around the breast and waistline. "What about you Hermione?"

All of the girls looked at me, all except for Lavender who was scanning racks of dresses. "No" I said mournfully. I _had_ tried on a few things. I had tried a tight, strapless, pink dress that clashed against my skin tone and hair color so horribly I couldn't even look at it, a black, silky baby doll dress that had seemed to plain, then I had tried it in white and it looked like a Halloween costume, and finally, a ruby red dress that had been the best out of all of them. It had halter straps with a heart shaped breast cut, an empire waist, and a loose skirt that ended right before my knees. It looked good, but I was confident that it would look even better on someone else.

"Hold it!" Lavender called out, emerging from the racks with two dresses. They were looped around her arm so that I couldn't really see the designs. One was silver, and the other a pretty, calm, sage green. She handed me the green one. "Try this one. I think it would do you justice." She smiled, before walking into a changing room of her own. The other girls went off into another section of the store, helping Luna look for a dress. Alone, with only the sound of Lavender's dress swishing softly as she tried it on, I held the bundle fabric in my hands.

'_Please let this be the one.'_ I sighed inwardly, and walked into my changing room.

I wanted to see it as a surprise, so I tried not to look so much at the detail of the dress. It was long, and flowing, and the color was very pretty. I zipped it up in the back and decided to use one of the larger mirrors outside of the changing booth, so that I could see myself fully in the dress. Lavender was still in her changing room, probably trying to make her boobs look bigger than they already were in the dress. I smiled and shook my head, going over to large mirror by the mannequins, which unfortunately stood by the large store window. Not only would I see myself in the dress, but anyone that happened to pass by would too. I adjusted the dress a bit more before looking at myself. I was unsure and self conscious. However, when I looked into the mirror, the Hermione I saw gave me different feelings.

The dress made me look and feel positively _stunning_. The sage green matched perfectly against my skin tone and hair color, and almost made my skin _glow_. The dress was made out of soft, flowing silk chiffon and had an empire waist, with an almost diamond-like embroidered trim around the waist that lead to medium over the shoulder straps that crossed at the back. It also draped around the hips, giving the dress the look of a Grecian goddess. This was it. This was the dress. It fitted me perfectly, and I could feel it give me a giant confidence boost. Who knew that some simple piece of fabric could make you feel so much better about yourself? I didn't. I went to hold back my hair so that I could see the detail of the straps, when I caught another image besides myself in the mirror.

Outside the window, his reflection prominent in my mirror stood _Ron_, staring at me with a somewhat melancholy look on his face and a tightened jaw. I went to pretend like I hadn't seen him, but when I looked at his figure in the mirror again, our eyes met. Letting my hair slip out of my hands, I turned to him, and took a few steps toward the window. He didn't make a run for it, as I had thought he would, but instead, he just stood there, his mouth slightly agape as he looked at my towering form through the glass. He promptly closed his mouth when he caught the look on my face. I suppose I looked a bit mad.

More like fuming.

I didn't know how long he had been standing there for, but it irked me. After not talking to me for his stupid reasons, he thought he had the right to gape at me like I was a piece of meat? I wasn't his. Then again, I didn't really know how to feel. The look in his eyes towards me had actually _touched _me. I didn't know why, but it felt as if he regretted it. I knew Ron, and I was extremely talented when it came to deciphering his emotions through his eyes. Besides that, he wore his heart on his sleeve. Did he expect me to do that too? Did he expect me to wear my heart on my sleeve for _him_? I knew that regretful look as well as I knew _'Hogwarts: A history'_. Only this time, it was mixed with more emotions than usual. In what seemed like a minute, I saw his emotions flash from regretful, to sad, to angry. I was tired of this. After a few more moments of taking me in, he sighed, shook his head slightly, and walked away from the window. Needless to say, I watched him walk away, until I couldn't see him any longer.

Had _I _upset him?

It was amazing really, how he could make me feel so many things for him with just one look in my direction. I was sick of it. I wished I could say that I was sick of _him_. But I could never say that about my best friend. I certainly couldn't say that about _him_.

He was Ron, Ronald Weasley, one of the people I most trusted and loved.

But wasn't that the problem?

I loved him.

I just didn't know in what way yet.

And thinking about it was making things even _more _complicated.

VVVV

Hey guys! So this has been a pretty long chapter! The ball is coming up very soon, so be ready for some drama! Also, there will be some more Dramione before that! Thanks for reading and **please feel free to review or give me constructive criticism! Ideas are also welcomed! **Much love to you all!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

Ch. 21

I was exhausted, but besides that, I was actually pretty happy.

I had spent almost the whole day with the girls shopping for dresses, eating, and conversing, and being a girly girl for _once_. I was excited for the ball now than I had ever been. I had bought the sage dress, which I was definitely planning on the wearing to the ball, and the red dress that I had previously tried on, because Lavender had convinced me that it would work out for another occasion, claiming I looked gorgeous in it. I took her word for it. I had also bought a pair of silver, open toed pumps embellished with a cluster of rhinestones at the toes. I was happy with my selections, but I was so tired that I had had to levitate them up to my room in order to drag _myself_ up the stairs. I needed to rest. However, my plans were interrupted when I saw a familiar, dark and regal owl perched up on my window with a letter attached to its foot. I walked over to the owl and took the letter, giving the owl a treat before he set off. In front of the envelope, there was a seal with the Malfoy coat of arms. I shook my head and smiled, opening the letter. It read,

_Hermione, _

_Meet me in the Great Hall at seven or so? I think we should work on the blueprint a bit more, Slughorn is being a bit of a pest about it, and wants to see what we have tomorrow, so I think we could make a few more adjustments. Hope to see you, or else were screwed for tomorrow because I can't do this alone, _

_Draco. _

I actually laughed at loud at the last sentence. He always had to add something funny to the serious things, even if he wasn't trying to. I checked my watch, and saw that it was ten to seven. I decided that I would have a quick shower and then head down to the Great Hall.

After my shower, I made it perfectly in time to meet Draco and walked into the Hall, looking for his pale blond head amongst nothing but brown wooden tables and benches. I spotted him almost immediately, his head lowered in concentration over the blueprint for the ball. I hurried over and sat next to him, but even then he didn't say a word. I paused for a moment, and waited for him to look up.

"Hey." He murmured, obviously too distracted with the blueprint. I had gotten used to this, though. The first time he had done it, I had found it quite rude, but he apologized and said that it was just really hard for him to focus on more than one thing. Actually, now that I had taken the time to get to know him, it seemed he was like that in classes as well. Sometimes I would watch him, and he would be as focused as ever a lot of the time, especially if it was something he enjoyed, by which you could visibly tell by the look on his face and body language. I understood this of course, because I was the same way.

"Hi", I replied back, grabbing my pencil and notebook out of my bag. "Hard at work I see?"

He passed the blueprint to me, and grinned. "What do you think?"

I leaned in to pay attention to the details. It looked great so far, since Draco had been doing all of the drawings and I had been giving him the idea's and the direction. We were pretty good, in my opinion. There were table areas and a leveled stage with full decorations, ice sculptures and lights. There was also a food area and several small, secluded spaces where people could take breaks and just talk, these of which were covered by large, white, tent like drapes.

"It's amazing, honestly. I can't believe that you're this good at drawing." I told him in earnest, shaking my head in pleased disbelief.

He gave me a small smile. "Please, enough with the compliments. You know it wouldn't be as half as good without your artistic direction, like I could come up with all of these ideas. If this ball was up to me, then there would just be chairs and a band. Pretty lucky you're here."

I felt myself blush. I opened my mouth to thank him, but saw that my still shower-wet hair had been dripping onto the blueprint.

"Damn. I'm really sorry!" I exclaimed, pushing it away from me. Did I always have to ruin everything?

He chuckled and put the blueprint to the side. "You worry too much, which is weird since your hair is wet. I thought only your crazy _dry _hair made you act like that."

I glared at him, and he smirked.

"Shut it. We all already know I have mad hair! I look like a drowned rat right now, and you can't poke fun at me, because you probably look like a drowned ferret when your hair is wet."

Well, at least I used to have crazy hair. Since fourth year, my hair had actually begun to agree with me, and I had been maintaining it in full, soft curls now. Sometimes, it could still get crazy, but that was rare! One time, also in fourth year, Draco had made a comment on how rough my hair looked. He called me pubic head for a few days before I had hexed him, giving him green warts on his arse for a _week_. I held a lock of my hair, self conscious now.

"Be quiet Granger. You know you want me, wet hair and all."

"My hair isn't crazy all the time anymore! And it's soft, although not according to you. Care for a feel?" I retorted sarcastically. To my surprise, he reached out and grabbed the lock of hair from my fingers, stroking it for a moment and curling it around his finger. He let go, and it spiraled back into place, damper than it had been before. I couldn't look at him, and so I kept my eyes on the table. Somewhere inside, little fourteen year old Hermione re-emerged , giving me a surge of nostalgia that gripped my throat, making me remember how it felt to be called names like that by him.

I had _hated_ him.

He cleared his throat, and out of the corner of my eye I could see him looking at me. I pretended to busy myself by looking at my notebook.

"You…you remember that?" He whispered.

I hadn't expected him to know what I was talking about. I didn't want him to. Strangely, I wanted to sit, _alone_, and wallow in my memories.

"Four years of malicious taunting doesn't really go away that quickly, you know." I replied. At least he had left me alone fifth and sixth year. He had been too wrapped up in his own problems, his father, the ministry, and Voldemort. Karma, no, _life_, had hit him hard.

"Right", he paused. "And I _am _sorry for that, you have to know that. I'm not the same person that I was three years ago. A lot of things that I never would've even imagined could happen to me have happened, and if I knew that beforehand, I would've never acted like such a prick."

I looked up at him, and in his eyes, I could see that he had really been heartfelt. I nodded.

"I know. Its okay, you know we've moved on from that. You don't have to apologize."

The look on his face told me different. After a moment of appreciated silence, he announced that we should go. We packed our little belongings, and he walked me to the doors of the Hall.

"Well at least we've got the rough draft of blueprint ready for Slughorn, whiny twat", Draco murmured darkly. He had never liked the man, and I suspected it was because he hadn't been invited to join the Slug Club. That's usually what people disliked him for.

I laughed. "Definitely. It looks amazing, so he should be pretty satisfied. If he doesn't like it, he can bloody well do it himself."

He flashed me a grin, and we stood at the doors for a bit longer, the smile slowly taking its time to leave his face. I took the moment to stare up at him, and recognize his features a bit more. Something in him was beginning to comfort me. Our bodies were close, and I could his hear his calm, smooth breaths.

"You know Malfoy, you should really try smiling more often. It suits you." I said quietly.

Caught by surprise he turned to me, his eyes shining with curiosity. I laughed.

"Yes ma'am", he replied, saluting me. I smiled and told him goodbye, and as I was walking away, he spoke again.

"And for the record, your hair _is_ soft. It smells good too." He said admittedly, grinning a little. I turned and shook my head. He was so playful sometimes, it was weird. He had too many moods to count.

"Thanks. Its vanilla almond shampoo, if you're interested in using it." I replied, jokingly coy. He shook his head at me, waved slightly and walked towards the Slytherin Commons, using the exact opposite route I was.

I was really starting to believe in this whole friendship thing.

VVVVV

Breakfast the next day might as well have been hell. Almost all of the sixth and seventh Gryffindor girls were shooting me wary looks, as if they were expecting me to explode any moment. I wasn't a ticking time bomb! To make sure of my assumptions, which could clearly be proven correct, I sat next to Ginny and decided to ask her.

Harry looked up at my arrival, and began furiously munching on a piece of toast. I was surprised he wasn't he wasn't choking already. Ginny took a furtive sip of her pumpkin juice. What was wrong with everyone? And where was Ron? He never missed breakfast, _ever_. The boy couldn't function without a stomach full of calories in the morning.

"Hey you two, is it just me, or does everyone think I'm going to spontaneously combust? Because by the looks they're giving me, it seems so. For God's sakes, I smiled at a sixth year girl and she whispered to her friend about it looking so anxious she could've peed right then and there!"

Harry abruptly stood up, barely looking at me. "More toast….Seamus…" he murmured, and then he practically bolted, not before Ginny shot him dagger eyes. I caught on to that.

"What's going on?" I asked her firmly. She gave me a guilty look.

Something was definitely wrong.

As I waited for her to speak, I watched her face, and her eyes went wide, her jaw slack.

"Ginny?"

She did nothing but point in silent shock, towards the entrance of the Great Hall. I turned.

_You've __**got**__ to be kidding me. _

Walking in with Sylvia Remsen hanging on his arm, was none other than Ron, with a smirk so big plastered on his face that he looked nearly deranged.

What the _hell _did he think he was doing?

I felt a vein in my forehead burn with heat as I watched them. Sylvia was clinging to him, small and petite next to his tall form, looking almost childlike with her extremely short skirt and girly accessories. She was the biggest attention whore in the school, and everyone knew it. She was worse than Pansy, because well, Pansy had some class.

Sylvia had quite the reputation with boys.

For one, she had slept with so many that the students had lost track. It was rumored that she had once seduced Travis Clarkes in the girl's lavatory, and I wasn't one to doubt that that rumor was true. At every school event we had ever had she had managed to find a new guy to sleep with. Ginny had even once heard her say that contraceptive charms were her best friends. The girls she hung out with weren't so good either, but she was by far the worst. She was so bad, even Pansy looked down on her.

So he was hanging around whores now, huh?

I hoped he was satisfied.

I turned to Ginny, my eyes burning with anger.

"I wanted to tell you. Really I did –"

"How long? How long have you known?" I inquired bitterly, all the while looking at the little slut crawl all over Ron, as he grinned stupidly at her.

"Harry only told me this morning. He says Ron said he asked her at Hogsmeade yesterday. I'm so sorry Hermione, I really am. He's being his usual prat self, and if he had any common sense he would've asked you the first chance he got!"

"Don't apologize." I snapped back, a bit _too_ bitterly. Ginny tentatively rubbed my back.

"Harry didn't want to tell you at first, he didn't want to hurt you like this. But Hermione, you deserve to know. I've always told you you're too good for my brother. He needs to grow up."

That he did.

A few moments later, Ron appeared at our table. I could hear his voice beside me, and I didn't bother to look at him. Ginny went rigid.

"Have you seen Harry?" He asked, as if nothing was wrong at all.

_Idiot. _

Ginny didn't answer him, and I didn't wait for her to. I couldn't be around him without feeling my blood boil. I stood up abruptly and gave him the fiercest look I could managed as I grabbed the tray of toast a few inches away from me and slammed it onto Harry's plate. Ron flinched.

"Tell _Harry_ I found more toast." I muttered bitterly at Ginny while giving Ron dagger eyes. I didn't wait for them to react but seized that moment to storm out of the Great Hall, happy that I had distressed Ron. He deserved it.

I would _not_ be made a fool of.

As I exited the doors, I felt a strange pricking in my eyes and my vision began to blur. I was halfway down the corridor when out of nowhere I heard Draco call my name.

"Granger!"

"Not now! Just leave me alone alright?"

I kept tearing down the hall, but he pursued me.

"I said leave me alone!"

"No." He said calmly. I turned to him in indignation. He had chased me all the way to a dead end.

"_What?_"

"I said no. I'm _not_ going to leave you." He replied, his voice as calm as ever. I probably would've been able to find comfort in that at any other time but now, but I was so angry I couldn't even think.

"And if I don't _want_ you here?" I challenged him. I turned slightly to touch my face and sniffed. It was wet.

"Well then that's too bad for you I suppose. What happened?"

"That's none of your business." I insisted stubbornly. "I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

I saw him fight back the urge to smirk.

"Do you _really_ think I'm _that_ stupid Hermione? Fine then, don't tell me, I can figure it out. I saw Weasley with Sylvia Slutsen. He asked her to the ball? You're jealous and you _shouldn't _be becaus_e_ _he _didn't have the balls to ask _you_."

Something in his voice changed, it became severe, almost protective.

_Of me? _

I was imagining things. Anger did things like that to you.

"I'm not jealous." I muttered defiantly.

"Of course you are. You expected something of him and he let you down, mind you, he seems to do that a lot. If he wasn't an ungrateful and oblivious prat you would've been his girlfriend already –"

"You _don't_ get to talk about him that way!" I told him sternly. "He's better than you could ever be!"

At my remark, a flicker of some strange emotion flashed through his eyes, and he went quiet for a moment.

"Is he really?" Draco said skeptically, his voice strong and somewhat acidic. He moved closer to me. "Because if I were him, you wouldn't be in this situation right now, you wouldn't be crying over a guy that's too dumb to realize what he has in front of him. If I were him, I would've taken care of this a long time ago. If I were him, you and I….we would've been together."

By the time he had finished talking, he was so close to me that our bodies were almost touching, his hovering slightly over mine. He stepped back and cleared his throat.

"If I were _him_, but I'm _not_. So I don't think it's very fair of you to compare us."

Although he hadn't really tried saying anything to make me feel better, in a way, he had.

Ron was a prat. In my head, as Draco and I stood there at the end of an empty corridor, I formulated a plan.

He wouldn't know what hit him at the dance.

Two could play at this game.

I turned to Draco again, and he looked disturbed.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him. It was a rhetorical question that he didn't have to answer. He shrugged slightly.

"That's what friends are for I suppose. And it would be stupid of me to let you run around crying over a guy who's a –"

I stopped his statement by placing a hand tentatively on his arm. He looked down at the contact and then at my eyes again.

"Thank you", was all I said.

That was all he needed to hear.

VVVVV

Another chapter done and the ball is getting closer and closer! This one was a lot longer! I just wanted to thank all of you that have been reading and reviewing! You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that you guys like my story. Feel free to leave me r**eviews, constructive criticism or ideas!** Keep it up lovelies! Love to all


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot!

Ch. 22

_Fucking Weasley. _

Who the hell did he think he was, upsetting her like that?

As soon as I had walked her halfway to her dormitory, I felt the anger surge up within me once again. I didn't know why, but when I saw her cry, I took it personally, as if someone had hurt _my _feelings. I wanted to find that stupid little blood traitor and rip him to shreds, maybe make _him_ cry.

The feeling came rarely, but I actually felt bad for Granger.

I had never known what it felt like to be heartbroken or in love with someone for that matter. As much as something inside me didn't want me to admit it, I knew she was heartbroken over that prat, and had been for a very long time. Their friendship wasn't the strongest thing either, so when something went wrong, a lot of the time the whole foundation would crumble as well. How did I know this?

She had dropped hints of this, very large ones, during our little meetings and discussions. She always managed to tell me things about him without even trying. As of now I knew he could sometimes be egotistical and extremely daft towards people's feelings, as I suspected happened quite a lot to her.

At the same time, I wanted to slap her, and no, not literally. Maybe in the past I had wanted to, or maybe I even would've. Since I had changed, for the better, my anger had lessened drastically. I hadn't been a perpetually happy boy since my childhood, but since this year, I managed to find many things that made me happy, and it was starting to get better.

Hermione made me happy sometimes.

I really wanted to talk some sense into her though. She should know better than, as smart as she was, to be upset at something or someone as unworthy of her affection as Weasley. For years I had seen her long over him, it was quite visible, for a lot of the times, she wore her heart on her sleeve. She was a bit sensitive as well, when it came to him. I remembered all of the times I had maliciously taunted him for being poor, something he had no control of, and how upset she would get over it. She hated anyone that insulted him for anything, or anyone that found an interest in him.

I remembered last year, seeing him with Lavender Brown, and the pain that would flash over her face whenever they would embrace in front of her. There were times where she would be on the grounds, reading as I would be, and the moment they emerged, she would flee into the comforting arms of the school library, the only place Lavender and Ron never went because they were more interested in showing off their relationship to everyone, especially to the people that never gave a crap.

It's funny though, because now they were great friends.

If I were her, I wouldn't even let the girl near me. I would probably hex her so badly that she would have to stay in the Hospital Wing for a week.

I was selfish, malicious, and spiteful.

She was everything _I wasn't_.

Why did she even _want _me as her friend?

My thoughts were so jumbled it made my head hurt. I crashed onto my bed, burrowed deep beneath the covers, and shut my eyes as tight as I could.

I didn't need any of this. Nor had I _asked_ for it.

VVVVV

It was Thursday night, and we were decorating again.

I had managed to put up a dillusionment charm big enough to cover the Great Hall so that Draco and I could actually test out what he had drawn. Thanks to multiple Transfiguration classes, we were able to transfigure the simple wooden tables and benches of the Hall into elaborate décor pieces, including our tables, tented area, and stage. I had even managed to conjure three, thousand-crystal chandeliers which lined the ceiling grandly. We had been working for nearly four hours, and we were both exhausted. That didn't stop us from working though. Draco was also being quite the gentleman. Instead of sitting there and watching me work, as I had half expected he would do, he was actually working as hard as I was, trying to size everything perfectly, and trying to use as many spells as possible to see which ones would work the best the night of the Ball. He had insisted that I take a break three times already in the past hour, insisting he could handle it, and each time I had firmly refused, insisting that we would take our break together.

I looked over at him from my side of the room and saw that he was drawing a few more things into the blueprint. I wasn't concerned, he was the artist here and he had never messed up before, so I trusted him with the designing completely. He was leaning over the table, a quill moving furiously across the page, his brow furrowed in concentration. His hair was tousled slightly and his shirt had a few buttons open, making his tie hang loosely. I turned around and decided to focus on my work, biting my lip before I thought something that I could possibly regret. After ten more minutes of silent working, I heard him slam his quill onto the table.

"I can't do this anymore, time for our break." Without another word, he slumped onto a bench and tilted his head against the wood of the table. I gave him a small smile.

"Diva much?"

He rolled his head in my direction, groaning. "Be quiet!" He replied, although he knew I was only joking. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him smile.

Somewhat hesitantly, I took a seat next to him. His eyes were slightly shut, making him look drowsy. He probably was. His eyelashes fluttered closed, but only for moment, before turning to me again. I looked at him, and he scooted closer, even though we were close enough, and grabbed the blueprint, putting it in front of us. I stared at it for a moment, and then realized that we had created an almost exact replica of what we had imagined, together. I stared in disbelief. I was happy and surprised at our finished product.

He grinned largely, even happier than I was. "We're pretty good, aren't we?"

I nodded. "That we are."

He seemed to notice something in me that I hadn't even fully noticed in myself, and his face turned serious again. "Still mad about Weasel-bee then, aren't you?"

I shot him a look, and he quieted down. He knew I hated it when he called Ron Weasel-bee. Well he deserved it didn't he?

"I don't know what you're talking about Draco. It seems that all of this hard work has made you delusional. Is it time for bed?" I retorted.

"_Ooh_. Someone's cross today."

I rolled my eyes. Why was he even bringing this up? I was trying my best not think about it. He wouldn't like that if I told him, and he would probably act even worse. He could be so infantile sometimes.

"Well wanker – I mean _Weasley_, has a date to the ball, so why don't you? I know a few people without dates too, you know."

I laughed at that comment. Why did he automatically have to think that I didn't have a date to the ball? I was as perfectly eligible as any other girl, and I certainly didn't need him trying to set me up with one of his friends.

"Well if that wasn't a shot at my pride, I don't know what is. Actually Draco, I do have a date to the ball, thanks for asking. Maybe I'll save your matchmaking skills for another event."

There was a moment of silence, and I watched his face. His brows creased for a moment, and then his face become stoic once more. I looked away, not knowing what to say. It was almost as if that comment had hurt him. He cleared his throat, but when he spoke again, there was something small, an almost insignificant change to his voice.

"Really now? Who would that be exactly?"

"Dean Thomas." I replied quietly, smiling a bit. I didn't know whether I should've or not.

He nodded.

In an attempt to break the creeping silence, I broke into conversation once more.

"And what about you? Who is _the oh so sought after_ Draco Malfoy taking to the dance?"

He smiled and shook his head at my ridiculousness.

"I'm not really taking anyone I suppose. Pansy will be tagging along I guess, to keep up her appearance, but besides that I guess I'm going solo." He shrugged.

I couldn't help but open my mouth a bit in surprise. He caught my reaction.

"What?" He replied, almost sounding self conscious.

I shook my head. "Nothing it's just…I can't believe that I managed to get a date and you didn't. It just seems weird to me. Usually it would be the opposite."

He turned to me, and sat up slightly. "On the contrary, I think. I've only ever taken Pansy to these types of things, and well, I'm sure no one else would be interested in me anyways. _You _on the other hand? You have a lot more going for you than I could ever try to. Many, _many_ guys would be lucky to be your date."

I blushed furiously, feeling the heat rush from my neck to my cheeks. "Thank you. Many…um…many girls would want you to go with them too. Maybe you should try taking someone else as your date besides Pansy next time."

He smirked and eyed me. "I _would _try it for the ball, but all of the good girls are taken."

Something in my stomach exploded, and I couldn't control how heated I was getting. I did nothing but laugh nervously. Why was this happening? He could have the weirdest effect on me, on anyone really, when he wanted to. After a moment, I turned to him, perfectly fine. I wouldn't let him have that effect on me just so he could get a kick out of my reactions. I didn't know what to think or how to think around him. One minute he was annoying and the next minute he was perfectly friendly and sweet, and then the next –

_Enough._

"So did I ever tell you that McGonagall wants to start of the Ball with a formal dance? " He asked me. "She says it's beneficial for the students to practice something, even when they're at a party. I'm surprised she's not planning on slipping transfiguration tips into our appetizers." He scoffed.

I would've laughed at the comment if I hadn't been ready to crap my pants.

"Did she say formal dance? As in _ballroom dancing_?" I asked him nervously.

He laughed. "Why of course. What were you expecting, some sort of _hoedown?_ Although I suspect Sylvia would be leading that, not McGonagall." Draco smirked.

I ignored his crude comment and his attempt to make me laugh. I had always sucked at dancing, and I knew I would become incredibly self conscious, especially if I would be dancing with _Dean_, one of the most well liked and quite popular guys in the school. Imagine the look on people's faces when they saw that the Head Girl sucked at dancing? I cringed. Draco touched my shoulder lightly, looking a bit concerned.

"Are you okay? You're looking paler than me right now." He half- joked.

I shook my head. He waited for me to speak, probably unsure of what else he could say to a pale, slightly terrified girl. I cleared my throat noisily.

"I…I can't dance." I croaked.

There was a moment of silence before Draco gave a booming laugh. I gave him dagger eyes in return.

"What? You think it's funny? I'm sorry that I'm not confident in _everything_ I do, unlike you, Mr. Malfoy." I retorted sarcastically. I went to turn away from him, scowling.

"It's not that! Many people aren't the best dancers. It just amuses me how hard you are on yourself sometimes. Have you realized?" He said smiling. It was stupid of him.

I didn't answer him.

After a few moments of silence, he sighed, and I felt his weight lift from the bench. It creaked.

"Get up." He sighed.

I turned to him again, half glaring and half confused at his strange demand.

"What? _Why?_" I asked. What was he up to?

He shook his head. "Just do what I ask, for once?"

I sighed, and slowly got up. "Happy?"

Without another word, he grabbed my hand and led me to the middle of the Hall, where we had set up a huge dance floor. He flicked his wand at the ceiling and the lights dimmed, making pinkish light reflect off the walls and onto the chandeliers. I stared in awe, silently marveling at the design we had created. It was beautiful. My thoughts stopped however, when his hand snaked around my waist.

I stared at him, confusedly.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" He retorted, sarcastically rolling his eyes. "I'm teaching you how to dance."

I shook my head stubbornly and as he tried to bring my body closer to his I refused to budge.

"I can't." I was sure of it.

It wasn't as if I hadn't tried. It was something I had always managed to mess up at, and I wasn't proud of that.

"You don't know that till you've tried!" He insisted, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Oh believe me, I _have_." I insisted, trying to get out of his grasp.

"Not with me you haven't." He smirked, as sure of himself as ever. He was acting like a prat.

Before I could object, he flicked his wand at the hidden music station behind the stage and soft, pretty music began to blare from invisible speakers. It was magic. The look on my face still wasn't pleasing him, so he nudged my waist, tickling me slightly to make me laugh. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't and slowly a smile began to emerge on my face. Draco licked his lips in focus, as he aligned our bodies so that they fit perfectly against one another. I was willing to let him try it this once, and he willed by body to relax. He held one of my hands lightly in his, and I could feel heat nestling between our palms. I sighed, and he smiled breathily, content that I was relaxed enough that he could move my body along with his. He told me to let him take the lead, and I did. He began to glide across the dance floor, as graceful as a man could be, with me in tow. The voice of the person singing was soft and melodic, almost a whisper, and it relaxed me.

After a few minutes of slight dancing, it slowly began to become more languid, and I was completely relaxed into his arms by the time the middle of the song had arrived. Somehow, throughout the dance, my head had ended up resting on his shoulder, his lips lingering beside my right ear. When he spoke, it rang clearly in my ear, like the sound of water in the ocean, very cool and calming.

"Are you listening to the music, Hermione?" He asked me. I nodded, almost sleepily, not wanting to take my head off of his shoulder. It felt right to be held by him as he led me across the dance floor. Somehow, without even trying, Draco had managed to take away all of my fears of dancing when he placed me into his arms. I smiled against him, taking in the scent of his cologne that I had grown to know so well, and the cool scent of his skin. I slowly began to listen to the lyrics, feeling so in tune with the moment as they flooded into my ear.

'_I had a feeling once  
that you and I  
could tell each other everything  
for two months,  
Never pick sides  
Never choose between two  
But I just wanted you  
I just wanted you' _

I could feel Draco's lips pressed lightly, almost brushing, against my hairline, and for a moment, this seemed _too _intimate. We swayed in place for a few moments, as we both listened to the signs that song and this dance were coming to an end. For those few moments of the song's ending, we listened the guitar strum to a stop and the violins stop their whispery notes. And then there was silence.

There was a silence, and I was still in Draco's arms.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled before letting me go, sliding his hands from around my waist, giving me goose bumps at the sudden loss of contact. He looked down at me, still in the half-dazed aftermath that I was in.

He smiled, shaking his head at me. Although I looked at him, something stopped me from opening my mouth.

"And you said you couldn't dance?" He said disbelievingly.

I gave him a smile, but I didn't feel it. I was numb.

What was wrong with me? Better yet, that question could go unanswered.

Draco was staring at me, in the middle of the dance floor, unmoving. I didn't move either. I was frozen.

Looking at his face, with his lips slightly parted in wonder of my actions, made my head spin.

What was going on?

VVVVV

Hey guys! So this chapter was a bit weird wasn't it? Hermione is starting to get more confused than ever, and so is Draco! Not to mention that the Ball is so close I can almost taste it, not literally XD! I hope you guys are enjoying the story! Feel free to leave me **r****eviews, constructive criticism or ideas! **Thanks for reading! Love to all! BTW! If you haven't checked out my Dramione one-shot _'Brownie Points'_, feel free to take a look at that too! Thanks again!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and ideas! Harry Potter is owned by the lovely JKR.

Ch. 23

The day had finally come.

Ginny, Parvati, Padma, Lavender, and Luna had all come over to my room, already dressed, to do our makeup and hair together. We had approximately an hour before the ball started, and Lavender was already freaking out.

"You guys!" she wailed, "I'm not going to have enough time curl my hair!"

I laughed, and shook my head, along with Padma. Seeing all of the girls in their dresses made me feel even more excited for the ball, and I was excited to see their reactions at how amazing the Hall looked. Draco and I had made the final touches, and it was all set up by now, although no one would be let in until eight on the dot.

Too bad I didn't even have my dress on yet.

Parvati emerged from my bathroom, fully dressed in her fitted red dress and glittery black pumps. She looked stunning. She was running her wand over her hair, magically straightening it so that it became sleek and smooth, spilling like black ink over her shoulders and back. She looked at me, and tut-tutted.

"Girls, have any of you even bothered to notice that Hermione isn't _nearly_ ready?" She asked. Ginny turned from applying her eyeliner, and saw that it was true. I was still in a t shirt and pajama pants. I looked like I was about ready for bedtime, rather than a party. Ginny grabbed my dress from my closet, where it was hanging neatly, and threw it at me, while Luna pushed me into the bathroom.

"I'm giving you two minutes!" Lavender said to me in all seriousness. I rolled my eyes playfully and nodded, before closing the door behind me. I turned to the dress, looking at it for a moment. Tonight, I was making it my mission to impress everyone around me, my date, and namely, Ron. I bit my lip. He was probably getting ready right now – no, probably eating something while _Harry _got ready, Ron always saved things for the last minute.

I knew him so well it _hurt._

Sighing, I shed my clothes, grabbed the dress, and slipped it on. In the light of the bathroom, the fabric shimmered. It reminded me of a snake almost, the way it moved sleekly over my body as I put it on.

Snakes, huh? Draco would approve, I smiled to myself.

I wondered what it would be like tonight, seeing him at the ball, which we had sweated and slaved over, together. I wondered what he would think of the ball when it was in full swing. I hoped he would be proud of it.

Would he think I looked good in my dress? I exited the bathroom after zipping up the back of the dress. These were silly, unnecessary thoughts. After all, it wasn't _him_ I was trying to impress.

Lavender smiled appreciatively at me as I entered the room again, dressed.

"You look gorgeous! That dress does you justice. Imagine if you had waited till the last minute?" Padma said, handing me my shoes.

"Thanks guys", I smiled, as I put my shoes on. I had never been used to getting lots of compliments, and when I did, I became increasingly shy.

"I agree", Ginny said, coming over to where I sat. "And you're going to look ten times more beautiful when we're done with your makeup and hair!" She clapped her hands excitedly. Luna peered over her shoulder, her arms laden with hair and makeup supplies.

"Let the fun begin!" Lavender squealed.

They were going to kill me.

"Please, guys, not too much? I don't want a face full of powder!" I said, trying to dodge Parvati as she grasped a tube of lip gloss. Ginny looked at me reassuringly, before grabbing a makeup compact.

"Relax will you?" She laughed.

They then took control. First, Ginny started on my face with some foundation, and then applied some blush, while Lavender and Parvati did my hair. After my many attempts to peek at a mirror, the girls turned me away and snappishly commanded that I close my eyes. The only thing I had to go on that I was looking good were their ooh's and ah's every once and a while. It was about thirty minutes until I was allowed to open my eyes.

"Done!"

Excitedly, I turned to the mirror, and when I looked into it, the Hermione that I saw, just like the one I had seen at dress shop, looked incredible. My mouth dropped in shock. Was this person even me? The girls had completely transformed me, and as I looked at myself, I felt more beautiful than I had ever felt before. It wasn't the type of makeup look that covered up your face, but it enhanced my natural features profusely. My eyes had been adorned with mascara and eyeliner, with a little olive eye shadow for some shine. My skin looked flawless, with a hint of blush that defined my cheekbones and gloss on my lips that was the color of warm flushed honey, with a hint of pink tinge, making my lips look full and plump. It was a naturally beautiful look. My hair was also stunning. Somehow, Lavender and Parvati had managed to get my hair to tame into silky, wavy curls, and had made two side braids that they then tied back away from my face with a pretty jeweled pin. During my awe, Ginny put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me through the mirror.

"Dean is going to love you." She whispered into my ear.

I smiled. I really hoped he would. Looking at my face, and at the beautiful work that the girls had done, how could he not?

I just hoped that a certain someone would recognize my newfound beauty as well. I got up and hugged all of the girls.

"Thank you all, _so _much! Thanks for making me…beautiful!"

Lavender shook her head and grabbed my hand. "You've always been beautiful! We've just well…enhanced it." I smiled and hugged her again.

Sometimes, all a girl really needed was her friends.

After our little heartfelt moment, Luna piped up. "So should we get going? We have a few minutes to meet up with our dates till the party starts!"

All of the girls nodded, grabbed their clutches, and headed to the door. They were nearly out of the room when they realized I wasn't tagging along.

"Coming Herms?" Padma wondered. She had always been one of the most caring of the group. She lingered at the door.

"You guys go on without me, I just need to check something", I assured her. I didn't want her to have to catch up with the rest of the girls. She nodded and smiled warmly at me.

"See you later beautiful!"

She shut the door behind her, and as soon as she did, I turned to myself in the mirror again. I sighed, looking at my face. I was starting to get butterflies in my stomach in anticipation of tonight. After making sure everything in the room was alright, and that my dress fit perfectly, I took one long gaze at myself for the last time before turning off the lights and leaving. I felt beautiful, and was determined to not let anything get it my way tonight.

As I turned into the corridor, there were barely any people left, as it was a few minutes after eight and the ball began to start. I could hear the intro music playing from the second floor, going perfectly in synch with the bass. I climbed the stairs and turned to enter the first floor from the large grand steps, where people had picked up their dates. As I looked down, there were still a few boys waiting for their dates, clad in black dress robes and suits. I spotted Dean, sitting on a bench with his hand supporting his face as he waited patiently. At my immediate entrance, he caught sight of me and stood up, going towards the bottom of the steps, where he waited for me. As he looked at me, I saw his jaw slack and his eyes widen in pleasant surprise. This motion brought back great memories of the Yule Ball, where on these exact steps Viktor Krum had given me the exact same look. I smiled, and came down to his level. Wordlessly he hugged me, and I could smell his warm, intoxicating cologne as my face pressed into his chest. When he pulled away, he looked me over for what seemed the tenth time in those few moments.

"You look amazing, Hermione", he said warmly, a huge, perfect smile adoring his face. I felt myself blush slightly. I laughed quietly.

"Thank you Dean, you look pretty nice yourself."

Who was I kidding? He looked dashing in his sleek black suit; with a silver dress shirt underneath, the top three buttons undone. I was pretty sure I was giving him goo-goo eyes. He chuckled.

"Not as gorgeous as you, I doubt that's even possible." He replied appreciatively, tentatively touching the wispy fabric of my dress. He smiled at me again, and I felt warm inside.

"And look, we match!" I giggled, lifting my dress slightly to show him silver, dazzling pumps. He smirked, a gesture that reminded me of someone else entirely. It made me wonder where Draco was.

_Was he already inside? _

He nodded, laughing a bit himself. I was glad we were comfortable around one another. "Well as much as I wish we could stay out here a bit longer, everyone inside hasn't gotten the chance to see how beautiful you look yet. Shall we go show them?" He murmured daringly, giving me another incredibly adorable smile. He took my hand, and began leading me to the drape covered entrance of the Great Hall.

"If you insist", I smiled back.

And with that, Dean Thomas took my waist, and we entered the ballroom.

I wasn't going to let anything ruin this night, _and_ get back at Ron, all at the _same time_.

VVVVV

As I knocked on the door for what seemed the hundredth time, my knuckles began to ache.

"Pansy!" I yelled. "If you're not out by the time I count to thirty, I'm leaving without you!"

It would serve her right, seeing as we were now thirty minutes late.

From somewhere inside her room, there was a wail. "Draco! Haven't you learned that aristocrats _always _arrive fashionably late? And besides, I can't come out yet, I'm not done with my eyes!"

I rolled my eyes. Fashionably late? What type of nonsense was that? I was still counting to thirty, and Pansy knew I was serious about leaving without her. For Christ-sakes, I had freaking built the damn ball and I wasn't going to be there for its introduction? There was a resounding crash from within Pansy's quarters.

_One…two…three…_

I wondered if Hermione had arrived at the ball yet. Surely, she had, for knowing her; she would never be thirty minutes _late_, unlike _someone_.

Why had I agreed to take Pansy? I cursed Blaise under my breath. He was probably enjoying the festivities with his pretty date while I waited from my loud, whiny, pretentious one to finish getting dressed.

_Eighteen…nineteen…twenty…_

I wondered what Hermione would be wearing. I had only ever seen her in a dress once, and that had been three years ago at the Yule Ball. She had worn pink, and as much as I hadn't wanted to admit it, I still didn't – she had looked good. After so many years, it would be kind of exciting to see her in a dress. After what seemed like an eternity, the thirty second rule seemed to have work on Pansy. She opened the door, and stepped out, revealing herself, and her uh…_outfit._

Pansy was dressed in a short, frivolous, frilly, and extremely _pink _strapless dress. It was labeled with a giant bow below her breasts, pushing them up so that they looked as if they were about to nearly explode, and the bodice was decorated with bright pink, sparkly glitter. The bottom portion of the dress resembled a fluffy ballerina's tutu, and as she played flirtatiously with it, about six more inches of her legs came into view. She had tons of gloss and eye makeup on, and her hair was sleek and surrounding her shoulders and back. She looked a bit like a slutty ballerina. However, I was used to it, and I didn't really care either. Sooner or later at the ball she would ditch me and find people that would actually want to dance with her.

"How do I look Drakey?" She purred, fingering the lapel of my suit. I tried to smile, but it probably looked like a grimace.

"Absolutely fabulous", I muttered through my teeth. She giggled, a high pitched sound, then grabbed my arm and looped it around her waist, so that it purposely grazed her butt.

"Let's go Drakey", she whispered, pulling me along towards the Great Hall.

I really hoped she would take it easy tonight.

VVVVV

Although the ball had just started, people were starting to become increasingly boisterous, and were obviously enjoying themselves. The décor looked absolutely stunning. The dance floor had been set up right in the middle of Hall while the stage stood at the very front of the room where the staff meal tables traditionally sat. There were long, white, flowing drapes along the windows creating an illusion of a dream, combined with the three grand chandeliers hanging high above us. The lighting for the dance floor switched psychedelically with the rhythm and beats of the music, and the music was perfect. There were also resting areas and sitting tables where people could relax with their friends. It kind of reminded me of a gala. It looked like an exact replica of the blueprint that Draco had drawn.

Where was he anyways? I scanned the area around me, but didn't see him.

It wasn't like he would be hard to spot. Not everyone had shockingly platinum blond hair. I supposed he was being _'fashionably late.'_ I laughed to myself. He needed to get here and see all of this already!

It was a good beginning thirty minutes, and while Dean and I had began to make small talk with many people and their dates, suddenly the stage illuminated, and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall emerged, standing in front of a wiz-phone, the Wizarding world's equivalent of a Muggle microphone, except that it could detect even the slightest whisper, so you didn't have to speak up into it. The lights dimmed, so that the only light remained on the stage. Once this had caught everyone's attention, Dumbledore began to speak. I could feel Dean's fingers somewhat innocently grazing my waist.

_Somewhat innocently. _

"Welcome, to the first and annual celebratory Winter's Ball! We are glad to see that you are all enjoying the festivities, but we would like to take a moment to acknowledge the people that made all of this possible, and those two people would be this year's Head Boy and Girl, Miss Hermione Granger, and Mr. Draco Malfoy!"

Suddenly I was surrounded by cheers and claps, and a very bright light was shone on me. Dean and a few other people pushed me forward, and I began to walk up to the stage. It felt exhilarating to have hundreds of people clapping and cheering for you. I hoped Draco would meet me at the stage, so that I could see his face filled with that smug happiness he was so good at portraying, and so that we could share this moment together. All of our hard work was being celebrated! However, as I lingered for a few moments at the wiz-phone, I knew he still wasn't here. I tried to hide my disappointment. Just because he wasn't here didn't mean I couldn't enjoy this moment!

I grabbed the wiz-phone, and below me I could see all the smiling faces of my friends staring back up at me, Harry and Ginny still cheering, and Dean looking adorably proud of me.

"Thank you so much, all of you! On behalf of Draco and I, I just want to say that all of this is for you, so let's make this night as memorable and as fun as possible!" I smiled.

McGonagall put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me approvingly, it was obvious that she and Dumbledore were proud of both Draco and I, not just because we had managed to get along, but because we had succeeded in a task this big basically by ourselves. As people cheered for me, I wanted to tell them that without Draco, all of this décor wouldn't have been possible. I couldn't, and I didn't get that chance to either. Somewhere inside of me I hoped that he had just been too shy to come on stage – but I knew that wasn't the case, that wasn't his personality. I couldn't help but feel some type of bitter disappointment that we couldn't share this together, but I still had hope that he would emerge.

After that little announcement, the Professors announced that we could proceed with the first dance, and suddenly, everything changed and became extremely serious and formal. The ice sculptures emerged, and the lighting shut off, replacing itself with chandelier lights that warmed and lit the whole ballroom. The orchestra began to play, and behind me, Dean whispered into my ear.

"May I have this dance?"

Hearing him whisper into my ear as sensually as he had pleased me. I turned to him.

"Of course."

He took my waist with one hand and my hand with the other, and led me across the dance floor. As I put my head on his shoulder, I couldn't help but remember my night with Draco a few days ago. He had, essentially, taught me how to dance with ease and grace. The fact that I could now use these skills with Dean, who was a wonderful dancer himself, made me want to thank Draco even more than I had already. I looked around as Dean and I danced to the slow yet riveting music, for a pale blond head, but I had no such luck. Instead of finding him, my eyes found a head full of fiery red hair, awkwardly dancing with a petite girl as she gazed into his eyes, murmuring something that made him half smirk half grin. Ron was dancing with Sylvia a few meters away from me, bobbing in and out of sight. After a few couples had moved, I had a clear view of them. Ron had already taken off his new dress robes, leaving him with slacks, a loose bowtie, and a tuxedo shirt. Sylvia however, might as well have been wearing nothing at all. She was decked out in a very tight and short metallic silver tube dress, which practically clung to her like a second skin. She was also wearing matching silver stilettos and her hair had been curled and flipped slightly. As much as I hated to say it, she stole Ron's attention in her little slutty outfit, the attention that I deserved from him, and I envied her for it. I had to look away when Dean called for my attention.

"I seriously can't believe how stunning you are tonight." He said quietly, grinning. I smiled back, but after what I had just seen, I was in no mood for compliments.

After the formal dance, the band came out a few minutes later and the crowd went _crazy_. The Weird Sister's, somehow Draco had managed to book them _and _the Bloody Harpies for tonight, came out, and started up the crowd with an old favorite, _'Dance like a Hippogriff'_. People were screaming and jumping, and the psychedelic lights and bass had returned, fueling people's party energy. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sylvia drag Ron onto the dance floor, gyrating her hips against him. At the beginning he shy, but the more she persisted, the looser he became.

Dean grabbed my waist. I turned to him, the music was loud I could barely hear him.

"Dance with me!" He mouthed, before pulling me towards him. As I danced with Dean, I kept watching Ron and Sylvia, well mostly Sylvia crawl all over Ron. He hadn't seen me yet, he was too busy being infatuated with that slut. Something in my head ticked with anger.

I was going to make Ron notice me, even if it was the last thing I did tonight.

He wanted a slut? I thought revengefully in my head.

Then a slut he would see, but he would _not_ get.

VVVVV

"Pansy, for the last time, I'm _not_ going to dance with you!" I said to her. How many times was I going to have to repeat myself?

Pansy and I were sitting in one of the resting areas, almost completely covered by a long, flowing drape. There were many spots around the area like this, but this was one was one of the only ones that wasn't being used for…well…everything else _but_ resting. Pansy sighed, playing with my hair, which was starting to tick me off.

Where was Hermione? I hadn't seen her once tonight. As a matter of fact, it seemed as if had seen everyone _but _her.

"Well you're no fun!" Pansy pouted. She kissed my neck. "Well maybe you could be, say, in my bedroom?" she whispered seductively into my ear. I paid her almost no notice. I really should've just come alone. At least I would be at peace. I grabbed the firewhisky that sat beside me on the lounge seat, and took a giant swig, tilting my head back as the liquid seared my throat.

It was funny really. After all the work that Hermione and I had put in, I couldn't even manage to have any fun. This was technically _my _party. I should've been the one out there on the dance floor, having a good time. I remembered when I used to be a complete party animal. I would party whenever I thought necessary, whether it was school nights or weekends, and I had hooked up with too many girls to count. At the same time, I had usually been so drunk the night before that I would skip tons of classes. The old me wasn't really a nice thing to look back on. Although my life had been more exciting, it didn't mean it had been better. During those times, my father had been ten times harsher to me, and I had partied so I wouldn't have to go or think of home and suffer the beatings that awaited me.

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized that Pansy's hand had been slowly inching its way up my pants.

"Pans", I murmured.

"Yes love?" She said, almost giggling. I sighed.

"Get off." I replied, so coldly that she retracted her hand almost immediately. She glowered at me.

"What the hell is your problem Draco? First, you stop making love to me. Then you start ignoring me? Now you're acting as if you've never even –"

That was when I snapped, my temper rising.

"As if _what_ Pansy? As if we were never together? Oh, I don't know, have you ever tried to think, to use your brain, for just once, that maybe we were _never _together? Maybe that only _you_ thought we were? I'm sick of you and your stupid sex addicted needs! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Then, something inside of Pansy, inside of her cold hearted, pretentious demeanor broke. I could see it in her eyes. I could also see that they were shining with tears. But that couldn't stop me, couldn't stop the harsh crap that was flowing freely out of my mouth.

"And another thing! Why in your right mind would you _ever _assume that anything we had ever done could be related to love? It was just sex Pansy, and no matter how many times you say we made love, it will never, _ever_, make me love _you_."

I was out of breath, and for once, Pansy was out of words. Abruptly, she stood up and got as far away from me as she could possibly get in that little booth, as if I had stung her with poison.

_I was a poisonous snake. _

I couldn't bring myself to apologize. Although I had been harsh, I had meant what I said. I didn't love her. I couldn't love her, and she couldn't expect that of me. Out of all of the years she had known me, she should've learned a long time ago that I wasn't the loving type.

I didn't even love _myself_.

She reached for the billowy drape, unable to take her eyes off of me. Her eyes were glazed with tears, lots of which were now flowing down her cheeks, making streaks in her makeup. I looked up at her from the lounge seat, and there was a moment of silence, only the bass of the music thumping in the background. She shook her head, her gaze sad, and incredibly shocked. She was hurt, which was something I had never expected her to experience. As cold as it sounded, I hadn't known Pansy had had real feelings until that moment.

"I don't even know you anymore." She whispered desolately, as if someone had died. I smirked, like the jerk that I was, and that was all she could take. Without another word, she exited the booth, fighting sobs.

Maybe she had _never_ really known me.

VVVVV

Somewhere around nine o clock, the teachers supervising the ball had decided to retire to the rooms and the real party had started. Firewhiskey bottles were brought out, and people became reckless, only paying attention to their partner's bodies against theirs while the music played. Dean had had a bit of firewhiskey, and before I knew it, we were sharing a bottle. There was something happening to me. Normally, I never acted like this. I was good girl Hermione Granger, goody two shoes, saintly Head Girl extraordinaire. Apparently not. I was so lightweight the alcohol hit me in a mere matter of minutes after just a few swigs. Then a few swigs turned into a few gulps, and those few gulps? After that I couldn't remember if I had had anymore, but that I was dancing rather proactively on top of a table with Dean. Then a few other guys joined in, and I didn't care whether they had had dates or not. For once, it felt good to have the attention on me.

It was eleven o clock when Ron had finally taken notice of me. I had started a new trend for people, and they were now dancing on the tables too. They wobbled, but no one cared, and I certainly didn't. My feet were killing me, but I kept dancing. Ron was going to see me, and eat his heart out.

He saw me alright, and as I looked in his direction, he was fighting not to turn puce. It served the twat right. Although Dean was drunk, he could hold his liquor a lot better than me. I suppose it came with experience. I was pretty close to unbuttoning his shirt when he interjected.

"Hermione? Baby, are you…you alright?" He asked me, as he brought my hips closer to him.

I was having what felt like an outer body experience. My body and brain were working, but the thoughts and actions that came out of them were not my usual, sensible Hermione's at all. I stared in Ron's direction, and he was looking from me to Sylvia every once and a while. That wasn't enough. I wanted _all_ of his attention. _All of it_. If anyone deserved it, it was me. I, good old Hermione Granger who had let herself get stuck in the forever friend zone with the one boy she had managed to possibly love.

Her best friend.

Her best friend, who went after _whores_. It wasn't enough. No matter what I did for him, it was never enough.

_I wasn't enough. _

Before Dean could interrupt, and while Ron was still looking, I grabbed his head and pulled it down towards me, pressing his lips to mine. There were still guys grinding against me, and I made out with Dean, pretending I couldn't feel them. The kiss only lasted a few moments, and when I turned in search of Ron, he was gone. My heart sunk. I didn't even know what was going on anymore. My brain felt fizzled and useless. I looked up at Dean and saw that he was staring down at me, still pondering the kiss.

"Water." I murmured, hearing my voice crack. I grasped my throat and choked, making my eyes water. Dean nodded, and got off of the table, lifting me off and setting me onto the ground. I stumbled, and he grabbed my waist, leading me over to one of the tented areas that Draco and I had set up. For some reason, I wanted him here with me. Dean set me down on one of the lounging chaises and went to fetch us some water. I giggled, still drunk, thinking of what it would've been like to go to the ball with Draco. I hiccupped, and again, I got the melancholy feeling that I had had earlier. He wasn't here. I highly doubted it. Draco wouldn't have let me dance like that. He would've pulled me off the damn table, dragged me if necessary, and made sure that I was okay.

He looked out for me.

And these days, he was one of the only people that did.

As I lay on the chaise, I realized that there was another person in the room.

"Wow Hermione. How come you've never tried any of those moves around me? I didn't know you had an inner slut."

I sat up immediately and turned around.

Ron sat in a chair at the back of the tent, separated from Sylvia for the first time that night. He glared at me accusingly.

"_Excuse me_?"

"You heard me. And to think I almost asked you to the ball. Merlin, did I dodge a bullet there."

I stood up. "Don't you dare try and act like this is all my fault." I returned his glare, murderously.

"Oh, you're right, I definitely owe you an apology. I'm sorry that I chose to take a girl that has self respect –"

"Self _respect_?" I spat, unable to control the trembling in my voice. "The whole school knows you came here with a slag tonight Ronald. You don't have to be smart to see that. Maybe you're just past the point of stupid that you can't even see how slutty she is!"

"Like you, for example? Great influence for next year's Head Girl by the way, the whole dancing on the table thing." Ron paused, a malicious look on his face. "You probably won't remember to tell whoever she is next year that getting practically deflowered on a table is acceptable as well, so I'll make sure to drop that message for you." And then he smiled, with an expression so mean that I wondered if he was drunk too.

"Shut up." I whispered. I hadn't wanted it to come to this. This wasn't supposed to happen. All I had wanted was for him to get jealous. Now he was using my actions against me.

"Why, because you know it's true?" Ron said, his voice getting louder. "I would've never expected that from you Hermione – "

"But you would've expected it from Sylvia? That's right Ron, go ahead and say it. You took that whore as your date instead of me to make me jealous! Why do you always try to hurt me?"

Ron rose from his chair and walked over to me. "I would've asked you! You were obviously too busy making goo-goo eyes at _Dean_ to notice!"

I laughed, a cold, chilling sound. "You're really nothing but a jealous prat Ron. I don't know what I ever saw in you." I shook my head. Ron went quiet for a moment.

"Yeah? Well I don't really know what I ever saw in an arrogant, boring girl like _you _either."

Something built up in my throat. "It's nice to know what you finally think of me." I replied, my voice constricted from holding back tears.

Is this what our friendship had come to? I thought we were worth so much more than that. I turned to walk away from him, my ankles probably bleeding from the pressure of my shoes. I was done.

_We_ were done.

"That's right. Why don't you go running back _Draco_ as well then? We all know you've been lying about not shagging him senseless, using this stupid ball as an excuse to hide it –"

There was a resounding cracking sound, and before I had even known what I was doing, the back of my hand had collided against Ron's face. I had slapped him, hard.

There was silence, but all I could hear was the slap my hand against Ron's skin. He looked at me, wide eyed with his hand on his cheek, his eyebrows furrowed in such surprise and betrayal that they were almost hidden under his hair. The tears were spilling freely now, and I was starting to sob. The mascara burned my eyes. Without another look at Ron, I half stumbled half ran out of the tent, knocking into someone carrying two drinks – Dean.

I didn't wait for him to stop me, nor did I acknowledge him as he called after me. I kept running in the darkness, blurry eyed, the stupid psychedelic lights playing all sorts of tricks on me. I tripped a few times, even managing to trip into Harry. He grabbed my arms and held me up, looking so concerned it pained me to look him in the eyes.

"Hermione? Hermione, listen to me, what's happened –"

"Ron!" Was all I managed to choke out in between sobs. I pushed past him, he knew better than to chase after me, so he let me run. I ran until I found an exit, and when I found one, I pushed past it, not being able to stay at that ball for one more minute. I collapsed on the stairs, where just a few hours ago, Dean had picked me up, and called me beautiful. I ripped off my shoes, sobbing harder than I thought I ever had. This wasn't supposed to happen.

_This wasn't supposed to happen._

VVVVV

Words couldn't explain how guilty I was feeling.

I hadn't expected it. I hadn't expected Pansy to affect me that way.

I had seen her cry many, many times, and although I was used to the crying, this time it had been so much different. Until tonight, I had never realized how much I had been hurting her. Granted, it had taken me well into the night to feel guilty about it. I had yelled at her about three hours ago, and I had just begun to feel guilty about it fifteen minutes ago.

_Lovely. _

I was wandering in the empty corridors alone, pondering. I hadn't had any fun at the ball, so being there the whole time seemed pretty pointless. I didn't even bother to go up and say hello to Blaise, which I had caught a few glimpses of through the drapes of my booth. I had stayed there the whole time, with a bottle of firewhiskey as my only companion. Needless to say, I had drunk the whole thing. A little thought popped into my head, and I wondered if I was drunk.

Probably.

Maybe that was why I was feeling all of this remorse for Pansy. I paused for a moment.

No, that wasn't it at all. I had been ten times drunker than this before, and could still hold my liquor. I had become very good at it actually. Drinking since your Third Year did that to you, I suppose. I made a mental note to ask Blaise how the night would go with Daphne tonight, tomorrow. The alcohol seemed to erase a lot of my thoughts. I let my body drift through the corridors for some time, wondering whether I should apologize to Pansy or not.

That was when I heard crying. A girl was crying so hard that it made think she was in danger. I turned the corner and took my wand out of my pocket.

Not too far from the entrance of the Great Hall, a girl sat on the stone steps that lead upstairs, crying her heart out. I couldn't see her face but, I noticed the hair, almost immediately. I knew those soft, honey colored curls _anywhere_. Perched on the steps sat Hermione, her arms cradling her face as she sobbed, her whole frame shaking from the intensity of her cries. I approached her silently, and leant down to her level. Even when she was sobbing her eyes out, she was beautiful. The train of her dress lay splayed across the steps, and her shoes lay by her feet.

Looking at her up close, I felt anger surge within me.

Who had done this to her?

I placed a hand on her arm, tentatively, not wanting to frighten her. She was fragile enough as it was. I fixed her dress strap, which had fallen off of her shoulder.

"Hermione?" I whispered to her. I really hoped she wouldn't turn me away.

How ironic. After all of the times that _I _myself had pushed people away, I didn't want her to do that to me. I was nothing but a giant contradiction. She looked up at the sound of my voice, her eyes glassy and stained with a few smudges of makeup. Her cheeks were flushed. I wondered how long she had been here crying, _alone_.

She was so alone. She'd thought I hadn't realized it.

"Draco", she sniffed, quietly crying my name. Before I could restrain myself, I reached out to touch her face with my palms. I wiped off the remnants of her eye makeup and the tears that had began to fall on her dress.

"What happened?" I asked her, in all seriousness. If Dean had hurt her, or tried to force himself on her…I clenched my jaw. I waited for her to speak.

"It was Ron. He – He said such horrible things. After the things I did! – "

I shushed her. She could explain to me when she could manage to conjure complete sentences. Fighting the urge to go find Weasley and beat the living _shit_ out of him, I tended to Hermione. She was almost delirious in her weeping, drunken state. Something told me I wouldn't enjoy hearing about the things she had done. Tomorrow it would be spread like wildfire.

_Not if I got to the bastards first. _

Without warning, she began to cry onto my chest, gripping my shoulders with such ferocity that it actually hurt. I didn't know how long we stayed like that, Hermione resting her head on my chest. I waited, silently, petting her hair to soothe her. She cried until there were no more tears to shed.

"It's going to be alright, I promise", I said, clutching her teary face in my hands. For some reason, she refused to look at my face. Her eyes darted swiftly from my suit to the ground, but not to my face, and _never _to my eyes.

"Why won't you look at me?" I whispered to her, and something in my voice was sorrowful. I couldn't control it. She shook her head.

"I can't, after all of the things I've done. I don't want you to be ashamed of me." She replied quietly, now holding one of my hands that were touching her cheek in hers. I wound our fingers together, and slowly lifted her head so that she was basically forced to look me in the eyes. Anger flitted in and out of my vision and brain, and I…I didn't know what to do about it.

"Look at me." I commanded her. Surprisingly, even with the firmness in my voice, she did. "You listen to me. Don't _ever_ think that I could be ashamed of you. I've never heard anything more ridiculous come out of your mouth."

She went to glare at me, tears clinging to her eyelashes. "I don't need you to tell me that right now –"

"Yes, you do. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say because it's astonishing that a witch as incredible as you could think that I would be ashamed of you. I would never, because you're more incredible than I could have ever dreamed of, and more perfect every time I see you. Don't give me that shit about you or me being ashamed of you, because you're absolutely _beautiful_ in every way possible." I paused. "And don't ever doubt any of those things."

She was staring at me as if a snake was crawling out of my head.

Too bad all of those things I had said about her were true, and they had come out, even though I wasn't ready to admit them.

Her eyes met mine again, with such ferocity that it burned. "Why are you doing this?"

There were so many answers to that question. Some I could answer, and some I couldn't.

Before I could control myself. Before I could hold back.

I couldn't do that anymore.

Still grabbing her face, I lunged at her, forcing her lips to meet mine.

She sighed, and I couldn't tell if she was crying anymore or not.

It was one of the grittiest, most determined moments I'd ever had. She didn't protest, but instead, roughly grabbed my hair. I bit down on her lip, hard, and moved my hands from her face to her waist, grabbing her closer to me. It wasn't enough yet, and I could feel my restraint unraveling with every sweep of her tongue in my mouth. I felt as if I were in an angry, drunken stupor, paralyzed by the girl in front of me. I was drunk, and so was she, but I couldn't control the want inside of me, and it took control almost immediately. Then that feeling had returned from when I had kissed her last, and I couldn't breathe. I was drowning in her, and the strange, prickly pang in my stomach became stronger. There was fire everywhere, every touch between us scorching me. She cried out, gripping the collar of my shirt so hard I heard a button break and trickle to the floor. My lips separated from hers for a moment and went straight to her neck, roughly kissing a sensitive spot beneath her ear before meeting her lips again hurriedly.

If there was lust, this was it times a thousand.

But I didn't know what it was, really. Suddenly, there was a dainty hand pressing against my chest. I breathed her in one last time, and then it was over. I pulled back, surprised at the both of us, and at the fact that I had managed to stop.

Hermione eyes were stricken with shock. I couldn't do anything but stare back at her, in half shock and half…disappointment.

The tears were starting to return to her eyes. "I…Draco. I can't. I won't do this."

I shifted away from her slightly, my mouth slack. I was numb again. I couldn't even look at her. I brushed my hair out of my face, and I heard the swish of her dress against the stone steps as she stood up.

I had taken advantage of her again, but this time she had been drunk, instead of in a hospital bed. I felt sick, disgusted at myself.

"I'm so sorry." She croaked.

And then she was gone. I didn't bother to turn around and watch her leave. In time, I got up too, and left the steps. I refused to think.

I didn't think I wanted to remember either.

I didn't know what I wanted, or what was going on.

VVVVV

I stumbled up the steps, pushing the door to my dormitories open, feeling sicker with myself than I ever had. I felt dirty.

I couldn't believe it.

What had I done?

I was worse than Sylvia. Ron had been right all this time. He would never love me, he never could, because I was nothing but a cheap whore. As soon as I had closed the door, I dashed to the bathroom, my bloody feet skidding against the tiles. I had barely had time to close the door of the bathroom before I fell against the toilet. I wretched, and brought up all of the alcohol that I had had tonight, nearly missing the toilet bowl. I felt myself cry out. My eyes and lips were on fire, and my stomach churned. There was vomit in my hair, and the smell was overwhelming. After I had finished, for now at least, I sat against the wall, sobbing. I was pretty sure my gorgeous dress was ruined, but I couldn't bear to look down and see it. I couldn't even comprehend what I had done tonight. I was mess from my own actions, and no one was here to help me.

Draco had tried, and that had ended badly too. This night was supposed to have been fun. Instead, I was a sobbing mess, covered in sick and horrified at the fact that I had kissed two boys in one night, one that I cared about and one that I didn't. I had also managed to slap Ron and completely ruin our friendship by doing so. I couldn't even bear to think of the look that had been on his face after I'd done it.

I was alone, nothing but a crying, slutty girl with a ruined dress.

I was so alone that I didn't want to feel anymore. I had never felt as alone as I felt now. Not even bothering to take off my dress, I crawled into my bathtub, and turned on the hot water, letting the burning water steam and come up to my neck. I submerged my head under the water, and closed my eyes.

Who was I?

If there was a God, I wished he would kill me right now.

VVVVV

When I arrived at the door of my quarters, I was greeted by certain…surprise.

Pansy was curled up against my door, crying silently, little sobs emitting from her and echoing into the hallway. I stared down at her, and I did nothing. It was a few minutes until she noticed me, standing there looking nearly as haphazard as I felt. Her eyes led up from my shoes to my face, her lips trembling.

If I had been able to feel anything, the guilt from not so long ago would've returned tenfold. It didn't.

I started at her quietly. Her knees were curled beneath her dress and although her makeup hadn't been messed up, she wouldn't have allowed that – she looked extremely distressed. Her long, pretty hair that had been sleek from before was now slightly mussed, and her bright blue eyes were rimmed with tears, making the whites of them bloodshot. She looked up at me in despair, almost fearing me.

"Draco, I'm sorry – I, I couldn't remember the Slytherin portrait pass code. It changed at midnight." She sniffled.

I supposed it was way past midnight by now.

She waited for my response, probably expecting me to yell at her or even scold her, but I didn't give her one. I was too deep in my numbness for any of that now.

Wordlessly, I scooped her up into my arms, opened the door, and walked her in. She was still crying slightly, and I didn't bother to comfort her. I was tired, tired of myself and my ability to hurt people.

_Pansy, Hermione, Pansy again. _

It was dark, and the small flicker of light from the open door vanished as soon as I shut it. I could make out Pansy's delicate frame in my room only from the moonlight. I heard her shiver, and I didn't know if she was scared or not. I would be scared of me. There was only the sound of her breathing in the room.

"Draco…turn on the light, please." She said quietly, her voice thick from crying.

I didn't answer, nor did I do what she asked. She opened her mouth to speak again, but nothing came out. She went to leave, and I grabbed her wrist. She looked at me, surprised, but still sad.

"_Please_…stay."

She sighed, and slowly came into my arms. "Draco", she murmured, sounding a little more content. The sadness refused to leave her voice.

I was numb, and I wondered how long it would take me to get feeling back.

I didn't want that for Pansy, after all the things that I had done to her. I couldn't do that to her, or to anyone else.

I wanted her to feel something.

I leaned in and brushed in my lips against hers. She sighed, and deepened the kiss fragilely. I could feel some restraint left in her, and I was determined to get rid of that. For once, Pansy was afraid to advance on me.

I would show her that tonight she wouldn't have to be.

_Tonight, only for tonight. _

I unzipped her dress and it fell to floor in a fluffy pile of pink. I kicked it to the side, and I felt her hands deftly unbutton my shirt. I let her. I kissed her neck, lightly, moving her hair out of my way, and cupped her breasts in my hands. She whimpered. I didn't bother to look at her, or to make sure that she wanted to do this. By the time we had fell onto the bed, I had managed to snag a hard on, and Pansy was undressed. I let my hands run against her body, giving her pleasure that no one could give me.

Was this pity sex? I didn't know.

Pansy went to unzip my trousers, and I didn't object as I had last time. She had now regained her potency somewhat, and she was moaning eagerly, her nails digging into my bare shoulders. I didn't want to think of anything, or feel anything, I just wanted Pansy to. I was Pansy's toy, and I wasn't going to fight back now. I wasn't about to disappoint her.

For once, I let myself fall into Pansy, and fall into darkness.

I needed to satisfy _someone_ tonight, to show them that I _cared_.

And I didn't care how.

VVVVV

So the ball has arrived, and issues have ensued! This one took the longest time to write, more than any other chapter I have ever written, so I really hoped you guys enjoyed it! There are going to be so many issues between Draco and Hermione and everyone else that they'll have to solve. **Please feel free to review, comment, or leave constructive criticism! **Love to all!


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I still own nothing but my plot!

Ch. 24

When I woke up, my head hurt like hell.

I was cold, almost shivering.

My eyes were still blurry, and the room around me looked fuzzy and unfocused. It took a moment, and a few tries of blinking my eyes before I could see clearly again. I stared up at the grey, stone ceiling for a moment. This cold, empty place was my room, wasn't it? I slowly sat up, and looked at my surroundings.

Indeed it was.

Then I looked down to see that I was naked, my midriff and below covered only by a thin, emerald green, silk bed sheet that was a part of the Slytherin dormitories bedding set. The sheets were ruffled, and as I looked over to the other side of my bed, I saw that the pillow laid there had a small indentation imprinted into it. Someone had been here with me. Still fuzzed out, I took a moment to try and remember why I was naked, and why my room was a complete and utter mess.

And then I remembered.

I groaned, too quietly for anyone else to hear because my throat was way too sore.

I had slept with Pansy, willingly. I had initiated it, to be exact.

I could've sent her back to her room. I could've asked for the pass code back to the Slytherin dungeons. But no, what did I do? Led the girl on again, after I had told her all of those horrible things, basically saying I despised her. All the memories came flooding back.

I had slept with Pansy out of guilt for the words I had said to her. I had done it for _her_.

I cursed myself for trying to make the situation look smaller than it was, and for trying to make it seem like it wasn't my fault, when in reality, it was entirely my fault. I looked around my room a bit more.

Books had fallen from neatly packed shelves onto the floor, and the contents on my desk, including an inkpot, had also found their place on the floor. The window was open, and I discovered that the cold feeling I had been feeling was from the chilly breeze that the window had let in. I groaned again, placing my face in my hands. Things were going to get better. They had to. I had to stop being so goddamn foolish.

I supposed Pansy was at breakfast by now. I wondered if I should go talk to her, but I was too sore to move.

Then I remembered Hermione, my head replaying the scene where she sat on the steps, sobbing her poor little heart out. I had made her life worse as well, I supposed, kissing her like that without her will, and in her drunken state.

Things were going to get better.

I stared at the ink that lay spilled on the floor, seeping into the wooden planks, staining them.

Things _had_ to get better.

I shook my head, alone in my cold, lonely room, the only sign of other human activity being the small indent on my pillow where Pansy's head had been, which was now starting to rise again, taking back its original form.

_How could I possibly find anything positive in the situation?_

My place was trashed, and I had ten times more the amount of guilt than I had had last night.

I couldn't.

VVVVV

I had skipped breakfast, and I was now coming close to skipping lunch. I didn't want to be seen.

I couldn't.

When I had woken up, I was extremely distraught. The memories of last night had come flooding back, and I had had to fight the urge to throw up. How could I have been so stupid?

How could I have possibly thought that Ron would want me if I made a complete and utter fool of myself? Not only had I embarrassed myself in front of _all _of the seventh years, and quite a few sixth years, kissed Dean and then_ ditched_ him, I had also ruined my friendship with Ron. Just the thought of it made me tear up. Without warning, the memories of what he had said to me hit me with such force that I had to sit back down on my bed.

'_I would've never expected that from you Hermione' –_

'_You're really nothing but a jealous prat Ron! I don't know what I ever saw in you' – _

'_Yeah? Well I don't really know what I ever saw in an arrogant, boring girl like __you __either! '– _

And then I had slapped him, something I could have never expected myself to do. I had hurt him more than I had ever meant to. No matter what he had _ever_ done to me, he didn't deserve that.

Or did he?

Maybe I was just too upset to realize that he _did _deserve it. I pressed my face into my pillow, letting it soak up my tears. Who was I? Who was he?

_What were we?_

I didn't know anymore.

And I didn't think I would be able to fix it either.

Then there was Draco to think about too.

VVVVV

After I had managed to shower and get dressed, I had made it down to the Great Hall, just in time for lunch. I had skipped breakfast, and by the time lunch had arrived, my stomach was growling like mad.

I supposed I looked like crap as well, not to mention that my head was pounding from my giant hangover. I had had a whole bottle of firewhiskey by myself, after all. I had tried to sober up by using a charm, but I didn't have enough strength to do it my own. As I walked into the Great Hall, dodging loud and chatty people as best as I could, I spotted Blaise, nonchalantly cutting into his chicken, making small talk with a few other Slytherins. I quietly slid into the seat beside him, and helped myself to some pasta. While I ate furiously, Blaise didn't acknowledge me till he was done talking to the others. When he did, I was on my second plate of food. He looked me over for a moment, a smirk rising in his features.

_Cocky bastard. _

"What in Merlin's pants happened to you?" He said, still looking at me, almost distastefully.

I shook my head, rubbing the bags underneath my eyes. "Do I really look _that_ bad?"

Blaise's smirk widened. "Well for your standards, bad is an understatement."

"Shut up", I scowled, tastefully tearing into a piece of garlic bread. The nerve of him was pissing me off.

He tut tutted. "Turn around will you?"

I shrugged and did what he said, and before I could react, Blaise had his wand pointed in my face.

"_Revelius Intaglio_", he said, and with a flick of his wand, my pounding headache had relieved itself, and I felt the puffiness of my face vanish. I felt loads better.

"There", Blaise mused, obviously impressed with himself. "Now you look loads better. Sorry I couldn't do anything about the ridiculous paleness though."

I punched his shoulder, getting my own opportunity to smirk as he hissed in pain. I smiled at him. "Thanks mate, I really _do_ feel loads better."

He shook his head at me and paused for a moment. "So what _did _happen to you last night?"

It's not like I hadn't expected him to ask.

I shrugged, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "It's a pretty long story. Can't we just talk about it later?"

Blaise looked at me for a moment, before gesturing over to the other table. I followed his gaze.

"If it involves _that_, then we can talk about it _now_." He replied, looking curious.

Looking over at the table, I saw Pansy, looking tired and downbeat, quietly and uninterestedly talking with her friends. I sighed.

"Blaise…–"

"What happened? It's obviously nothing good." He replied, now turning his full attention to me.

Was he concerned? I was sure he was. While Blaise could often be self-centered and a bit nonchalant, he was my best friend. He had always been there for me when others hadn't.

I paused for a moment, running a hand through my hair. He waited till I spoke. I paused for a moment.

"I…I slept with her, Blaise. I slept with Pansy." I said quietly. I had suddenly lost my fervent appetite.

Blaise looked at me skeptically. It didn't make sense to him, of course. In all of the years I had used Pansy as a benefit, taken advantage of her, I had never ever complained about it. It was seen as an almost positive thing.

"Well was it not as good as usual or something?" Blaise said confusedly, with a slight laugh in his voice.

"No. Actually, I'm sure it was great, but I can barely remember it. The problem is that before we did it, I told her I didn't love her. We fought. I actually insulted her quite a bit." I said blankly. I didn't know what else to say. It was enough to admit that I had degraded a girl that had been infatuated with me for years, and then uselessly fucked her.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Blaise bit his lip and looked over at Pansy again. "Well that would explain why she looks so troubled", he shrugged. He didn't ask for details, thank god. "Was she there when you woke up in the morning?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. She had probably realized that we had messed up by then. I'm pretty sure she left right after I had fallen asleep. Not like I would remember anyways." I replied bitterly.

Blaise cleared his throat. "Well you seem really guilty about it Draco. Are you going to apologize?"

"I want to. I just don't know when, or how." I shrugged. Blaise patted my shoulder.

"Well I'm here to help. And if you want, I'll see if Daphne can talk to her."

And then I remembered that Blaise had taken Daphne Greengrass to the ball last night.

"Sure. How was the ball last night for you anyways?" I said, looking over at Daphne before raising my eyebrows suggestively at Blaise. He shook his head at me, as if I were a child.

"It was great. She's really fun to be around. I don't know why I never tried talking to her before." Blaise replied with a small smile.

I knew why he hadn't bothered before, and the reason was Tracey Davis. Not wanting to ruin his mood, I didn't bring it up. Maybe he was finally getting over her, and if Daphne could do that to him, then she really _was_ brilliant.

"That's not what I meant, but nice to know." I said, smirking. Blaise suddenly became very shy, something that rarely ever happened.

"Well I kissed her, if you must know. It didn't go farther than that." He admitted, not sounding regretful at all.

I looked at him, surprised. After the whole Tracey issue, Blaise almost made it a priority to sleep with a girl after or on the first date. He always had stories to tell, and countless girls were involved in them. I smiled, happy for him. He obviously respected Daphne more than I had thought.

"Well are you seeing her again then?" I asked interestedly.

Blaise shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about the whole thing, but he couldn't stop the smile that emerged on his face when I asked.

"Well asking her to talk to Pansy will give me another opportunity."

I nodded, happy for once that morning.

Brilliant girl.

Brilliant, _brilliant_ girl.

VVVVV

I was heading to library, on a stomach full of nothing.

I had skipped lunch, and now, I was regretting it like no tomorrow. Was I being overly cautious? I didn't know. All I knew was that I was scared and embarrassed. Thank god it was a Saturday, for if I had had classes, I would've skipped them. Seeing Harry, Ginny and Ron was what I was most fearful of.

What if I saw Ron with Sylvia? What if I saw the three of them together?

No doubt he had told the other two the story by now. Harry would be extremely disappointed in me, and Ginny would be extremely shocked that in just a few hours I had managed to screw up everything that was good.

I wondered if she or any of the other girls had tried to look for me. I wondered if Ginny had told them. Out of worry she probably had, but probably not the details. She had always been good with those types of situations.

It was a stupid thought, but I really hoped they wouldn't look for me at the library, although everyone knew that was my go-to spot. I was basically setting myself up.

I didn't care.

I need somewhere quiet to be alone, and the comfort of books was too much to resist. If anything, I would just go into the restricted section if I had to. That most likely wouldn't be the case though, as I knew the library better than most people, and could easily find secluded places.

As I entered the library, I was relieved to see that only a few third years were in sight, too busy gossiping about the latest Wizarding rock band, or something or other. Madam Pince sat at her desk, diligently filing book reports, and paid no attention to my entrance.

Good.

I didn't want anyone knowing I was in here if they didn't have to. As I walked to the back of the huge library, I was cautious not to bring attention to myself, walking briskly to a small corner behind a cluster of large, domineering bookshelves. It was a small space in the corner by a window, with a table for the person to study on. It was also within less than walking distance to the bookshelves.

My perfect spot.

When I arrived to it and began setting up my things, I was surprised to see a black messenger bag resting against the leg on the table. I frowned. I had never encountered another person sharing my spot with me before. As far as I had thought, no one knew about the little space besides me.

Apparently not.

I stared at the bag. It was a dark, rich black, with silver fastenings, making the bag look intricate and extremely expensive. I couldn't place where, but I had seen the bag before. It seemed so familiar. After a few moments, I decided that it didn't matter.

I supposed I could move.

I gathered my things, and turned around to seek a new spot. Instead, I turned and slammed into something hard, making me jump in startled surprise. I nearly yelped, for the collision had been so unexpected. As my eyes focused, I gasped in surprise.

I had run into _someone_, rather.

Draco looked down at me, an unfathomable expression gracing his expression. Since I had seen him last night, something about him seemed different. For one, he looked tired, his hair messy and run through, his eyes looking sleepy and unrepressed. I stared at him for a moment, before I recollected the events of last night. I looked down during the few moments of silence, trying to avoid his gaze, and saw that he clutched a bright green apple in his pale hand. Before I could control it, my stomach growled murderously.

Draco laughed, and before I could say anything to him, he held the apple out towards me.

"Hungry, Granger?" He asked knowingly, musing.

I didn't answer, but watched as his eyes lingered from my face to the table behind me.

I remembered that bag _very_ clearly now.

VVVVV

Hey guys! So it's been a little wait hasn't it? Draco and Hermione are having another encounter, and we'll just have to see where it goes! Thanks so much for reading and keeping up with this story! **Feel free to leave reviews, constructive criticism and ideas!** Love to all!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Still nothing but the plot. That's the way I roll.

Ch. 25

I was halfway through the apple before either of us spoke. Draco went first.

Since our abrupt and quite awkward encounter a few minutes prior, we had decided to sit down. At first, I had been determined to find another spot, but when he insisted that I stay, I couldn't say no. As I munched on the apple, Draco stared at me, almost looking entranced. It was when I had finally managed to look up that he looked away, albeit only for a few moments. There was a trace of a shy smile as he tried to strike up a conversation with me.

"So you've been skipping meals huh?"

I paused for a moment, bringing my loud crunches from the apple to a stop. I still couldn't manage to fully look him in the eyes, as I was still too embarrassed. I looked up once, and nodded.

Draco shook his head, the trace of the smile on his face becoming more prominent.

"Of course. You really don't handle embarrassment well, do you Granger? And you can talk to me by the way. I don't bite."

I wondered if he even remembered what had happened what last night. He had been drunk just like me, and I had been able to taste the alcohol clearly on his lips and tongue. Also, when he had been kissing me, he hadn't been as collected as all of the other times, he had, in fact, seemed rather frenzied and desperate. I had also realized that he had reverted to calling me something that I hadn't heard fall from his lips in the longest time.

_Granger. _

There was some loss I felt at this. It was as if all of that time we had spent together had never mattered, or that the small yet there amount of trust that we had managed to build in each other had been a lie.

I swallowed before answering him, and for him to know I was serious; I had to look at his face.

"Well of course I don't. I don't know if you remember or witnessed any of the things that I'd done last night, but they're definitely _not _things I can be proud of. You don't even know the whole story so stop acting like it's not a serious problem." I argued defensively, trying my best _not _to glare at him.

I hadn't meant to sound harsh, but it came out that way.

Draco stared at me, unfazed by my statement. He seemed uncaring and half present, and I felt the returning urge to find another place to sit.

"Ah, she speaks. And for your information, I do remember, quite a lot actually. But just because you're not proud of something doesn't mean you have to wallow in it. You should really learn to cut off all of your feelings." He replied, toying with the feathers of a quill lying on the table. With the way he leaned into his chair, one leg crossed across his knee, he looked like some sort of counselor. I couldn't tell if I was getting upset or not, but something about this situation was definitely starting to irk me.

"You obviously wouldn't understand. You're the king of being able to tune out feelings", I heard myself retort, my voice thick with some kind of resentment, not for him, but because of his ability to be so unfeeling sometimes. He laughed quietly, and it was his turn to look away from me.

"I don't blame you for thinking that", Draco said in response, his voice quieter than before. "After all, everyone does. And although at times I'm not the most compassionate, I do have feelings that I wish I could get rid of." His eyes drifted back to me when he said this, his pools of misty blue-grey peering into my warm brown ones. "I feel guilt. You think you're the only one who fucked up last night? I told Pansy I didn't love her, never did, and a few hours later, I took her to my room and slept with her."

His voice sounded sorrowful and disturbed, and I could do nothing but keep quiet and stare at him, regretting everything that I had just said to him. I felt so inconsiderate.

He looked away, out into the window close to him. "I don't know why I'm telling you any of this, because after all, you seem to think you're the only capable of feelings." He added coldly.

I stared at him, and realized something. He wasn't just a rich, somewhat misunderstood boy. He had always been denied the right to a normal childhood, and it had taken its toll on him. He had been raised differently, and although it was the way his family was, he was trying his best to fight it, with no one on his side. As cheesy as it sounded, it was true. Maybe if he hadn't decided to confide in me, just a little bit, I wouldn't have realized it.

"Draco?" I heard myself say quietly. I was only half clinging to my words, for my brain was zooming with too many thoughts at once to focus. His head shot in my direction, and that unfathomable look in his eyes had returned. I could see him fighting to get rid of it, but he couldn't. It made me feel a little better that he couldn't really hide himself from me.

What was going on?

"I'm really sorry. I was just being stupid and inconsiderate as usual." I said finally, after a very long time of silence.

He looked at me again, his eyes burning in defiance. "Don't apologize. And you couldn't be stupid or inconsiderate if you tried."

At that statement, I found myself smiling slightly, which lessened the intensity of his gaze. After a moment, all became well again. I found myself having an easier time talking to him.

"Thanks."

He nodded once, and then turned back to the window for a moment.

"What happened last night?" He asked me, and it took me by surprise. For one, I didn't know if he meant between us, or about me, and I paused for a moment, conjuring an answer. Since he had told me his story, it wouldn't be fair to not tell him mine.

_And if he was lying?_

Well, so what?

"It's a pretty long story", I admitted, looking down at the now browning half of an apple resting between my fingers. I dropped it onto the table, and it stayed there, looking pitiful and weak.

But that was life wasn't it?

One half of life, like the apple, was brown, wilting, pitiful, and sad. It was the part of life in which unfortunate things happened, and where people were unhappy. The other half of life, full and bright like the other side of the apple, contrasted to the sad brown and represented happiness, everything right in world. While there was a large portion of that, it seemed that unlike the brown, the bright side never lasted too long, gone too soon. It showed the bright and often fast side of life, the part people often took for granted.

And looking at Draco, I saw a half bitten apple.

"I've been told I'm a pretty good listener", He replied, quirkily and curiously raising a brow at me.

And so I told him everything. I told him about the date with Dean, and the dancing, and the argue with Ron. He never interrupted once, not even when I had told him how I had kissed Dean while dancing provocatively and drunk on a table, or how I had slapped Ron. His facial expression remained collected the whole time, and only once his eyebrows rose questionably at me. When I was done, exhausted and exposed, with everything laid out on the table, he sighed.

"Pretty eventful night for you, that was." Draco stated, reaching up to massage the back of his neck. I supposed the story _was_ a lot to handle all in one go.

"Yeah, and now you know everything." I sighed, looking up at him, feeling embarrassed. He knew a lot of the things that I was insecure of now, and I didn't even know why I told him. "I suppose you think I'm a proper slag now, right?" I asked, laughing. He was starting to make me nervous with all of the silence.

"No, I've seen worse, trust me." Draco replied, smirking at me. When I didn't react, he went serious again, and not too soon after, decided to speak again.

"I'm sorry Hermione." He said quietly, keeping his eyes on me. He sounded as genuine as I had ever heard him, and it was a drastic change from the sarcastic Draco that I knew too well. Still, he caught me by surprise for the second time. When I didn't answer after a few moments, he stood up, looking as if he was about to leave, and I spoke to delay him.

"What? Why are you saying that? You did nothing wrong", I replied earnestly, yet still confused. The only thing I understood was that he seemed ready to call me Hermione again, which I thought I had lost. What did he have to apologize about at this moment? I had just told him a whole story about what had happened to me last night, surely he couldn't be apologizing for my getting drunk, or fighting with Ron. He hated him.

"I kissed you against your will! Surely you didn't think I wouldn't apologize for it? I've been trying to figure out what to say this whole time. I _am_ sorry." Draco said to me, his voice going back to a sorrowful tone.

I stared at him, in absolute shock, my stomach absolutely rolling in the fact that he was apologizing for something I thought he had forgotten. Draco looked down at me, chewing the inside of his bottom lip tentatively. He laughed a sad, self pitying sound.

"God. I'm guessing I really shouldn't have said that –"

But before he could complete his sentence, I was up from my chair, my arms flung around his neck. Draco stiffened and my grip slacked, but my body still hung tightly against his. For a moment, it seemed as if we were in the abandoned boy's lavatory again, just as we had been about two months ago. His body slacked as my grip did, and I could feel him breathing against my neck.

"Why are you doing this?" He murmured, talking into my hair.

At the sound of his voice, at the fact that he sounded so content and curious and innocent for _once_, a got a weird feeling inside of my nose, and my eyes misted over. Hugging him and having this strange connection to him was new, unidentifiable. I was swimming in uncharted waters, and I was falling, drowning in him, the idea of him. I was trying to cling to reality, trying so hard that it hurt to think about, but it was futile as I fell in his arms. Something inside of me wanted to push him away then grab him again, cause him pain and make him apologize to me for doing this, although it was something that he had no control of. Another part of me wanted to…

Well the other part of me didn't really know what she wanted, did she? If she did, I wouldn't have been standing in the back of a stranded library as I was, close to tears against the shoulder of Draco Malfoy. Only his fingertips were touching me, and the rest of him touching me was involuntary because of how my body was pressed against his.

"Because you remembered", I whispered back, holding on to the idea of Draco, and the idea that he cared enough about me to remember a drunken, sloppy, mistake of a kiss.

I didn't want to kiss him again. I didn't know what I wanted from him, but it didn't have anything to do with lust.

"Of course I did", Draco chuckled quietly, his voice still sad and struggled. "I remember everything."

I wanted, _needed_ someone who cared.

And Draco seemed to be the idea of one.

VVVVV

Hey guys! I hope you guys are enjoying of the progress of the story! Since it is Thanksgiving weekend, I am going to be going on a holiday for a few days, and unfortunately, I won't be able to update until I get back! But not to worry, I will be writing during my holiday so that when I get back I'll have new chapter(s) to update! **Feel free to leave me a review, idea, or constructive criticism, they are most welcomed! Have a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving!** Don't forget to be thankful for Draco and Hermione XD! Love to all!


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot, but I wish I owned Draco! If I did, I think I would be doing other things with him…making me too busy to write this! ;D

Ch. 26

It was seven o clock at night, and up until a few minutes ago, I had been in the library with Draco, just talking. We had been in there with each other for about three hours, and we seemed to have lost track of time.

That always happened. Whenever I was with him, I seemed to lose track of time.

I smiled to myself as I climbed up the stairs to my dormitory.

It had been a good talk, and we had talked about a lot of things, things I would've never imagined myself talking about with Draco Malfoy, of all people. As a matter of fact, up until two and a half months ago, I would've never imagined myself being able to have a decent conversation with him at all.

It was strange, the connection I was able to conjure with him when we talked. It felt as if everything was out in the open, almost as if I was comfortable with him knowing more about me.

_Was I? _

I supposed I was, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to tell him any of the things I had told him. Another thing I found amusing was that he now knew more than Ron and Harry combined. Harry didn't know about my crazy partying activities, and Ron didn't know about me kissing Malfoy.

In fact, I preferred things this way, especially with Ron.

Ron didn't need to know anything, he didn't deserve to, and Harry? Well Harry didn't need to know _everything_ I was up to. Sure it sounded selfish, but so what? With friends like mine, one too busy trying to save the Wizarding world and much too in love with his girlfriend to really notice anything else, and the other who was a selfish, egotistical _prat_, I had to be a little selfish sometimes.

I was the only one who was really going to look out for _myself_.

There was something off with that thought, and as soon as I had noticed it, I wished I hadn't thought of it at all.

_Ron wasn't really my friend anymore, was he? _

As I thought of this, the burning feeling in my eyes from earlier returned, but I stubbornly pushed it away. I wouldn't get upset over this again, I promised myself.

I didn't need him if he didn't need me.

VVVVV

The next morning after I had accidentally met up with Hermione in the library, I went down to breakfast to meet up with Blaise. He had sent me an owl earlier this morning, claiming that he needed to talk to me, and as soon as possible. I decided that breakfast would be the easiest place to meet, as we would be able to take care of whatever it was early.

As I entered the Great Hall and searched for Blaise, I kept trying to think of what he could possibly have to tell me that was as urgent as he claimed. I stopped thinking about it however, when I saw him, sitting at one of the Slytherin tables, deep in conversation with Daphne Greengrass, looking as infatuated as ever. Not wanting to ruin their moment, I went to slip past them, deciding that I could eat a little farther off and wait till they were done, but Blaise, as quick as he was, grabbed hold of my robes as soon as I tried.

"And where do you suppose you're off to?" He asked me, looked jokingly skeptical. I shrugged at him and smiled at Daphne before giving Blaise a suggestive look.

"I didn't want to ruin the little moment you two had going on."

Blaise shook his head and gestured to the seat next to him. "Nonsense, sit down will you? We have something important to tell you."

I raised my eyebrows, looking from Daphne to Blaise. "Don't tell me you two have gotten married?" I asked jokingly. Daphne laughed, a perfectly toned, melodic sound. Blaise shot me a look and stomped, hard, on my foot beneath the table. I got the message, and I fought the urge to wince. He hated it when I embarrassed him in front of girls, although he always did the same thing to me! But it was obvious that Daphne was a bit more important than those girls, so I stopped.

"Bloody joker, he is", Blaise muttered, taking a swig of pumpkin juice. It was Daphne's turn to shake her head, at Blaise nonetheless.

"Well at least he's funny", she teased, smiling through her words. Blaise winked and smirked at her across the table, and she blushed slightly.

It was easy to see why Blaise was so interested in Daphne. She was in fact, very pretty. As I looked at her, I wondered why I had never bothered to pay attention to her before. She had perfect, creamy smooth looking skin with a hint of tan, pretty hazel eyes that seemed to light up when she laughed, and long, silky, chestnut brown hair. She also had full pink lips, and a perfect little button nose.

As pretty as I found her, I would never go after her, especially if my best friend was interested. Another reason was that to me, there seemed to be something she lacked. But why did my opinion matter? Blaise was the one that was interested in her, not me. I was happy for them.

"Okay you two. What was it exactly that you had to tell me?" I inquired, taking a green apple from the platter of fruit in front of me and biting into it. I really needed to stop having these, I was getting addicted. Before Blaise could open his mouth, Daphne interjected.

"I talked to Pansy."

I was midway through swallowing when I felt a piece of apple lodge in my throat at her statement. I took a moment to swallow properly before my eyes widened in disbelief.

"You _what?_"

I was surprised, and for some reason, a bit petrified. I hadn't known that when Blaise mentioned he would tell Daphne to talk to Pansy that she would have done it so soon, while the matter was still fresh.

"You heard her", said Blaise, waving me off. "She talked to her, and apparently, Pansy is really upset about it."

Of course she would be. I had used her for the umpteenth time for my own satisfaction. She probably thought she meant nothing more to me than a piece of meat. My fingers went up to pinch the bridge of my nose.

Dear God, I was an _idiot_.

"Yeah, she really is upset. She keeps on trying to brush it off, but it seems like she can't. She looked so sad and depressed when I talked to her, I almost couldn't take it." Daphne said wistfully.

This wasn't helping. This was just making me feel worse, even guiltier than I had been before. I groaned and rested my head against the table. This was my entire fault, and no matter how hard I tried to pin the blame on someone else, the guilt always remained with me.

"Take it easy mate, it's not like she hasn't gotten upset at you before", Blaise mused, patting my back.

"This is different", I heard myself reply through gritted teeth. "You didn't hear all of the horrible things I said to her."

Blaise really _didn't_ understand. Sure, he had used girls for sex, or for some careless fun, but he had _never_ treated a girl the way I had treated Pansy at the ball. He wouldn't, and he had more control over his emotions, and more common sense than to do something as stupid as I had done.

"There's really no need to give yourself a brain hemorrhage over it though. Why don't you apologize?" Daphne suggested, and I could hear the guilt in her voice for telling me, and the pity she felt for me as well.

The way she said it made it seem so easy.

"Agreed", Blaise admitted, and I wanted to tell him to bugger off. I was so tired of this. I wanted to be done with all of this drama! As Blaise and Daphne sat there, shooting each other furtive looks of guilt on my behalf, something clicked in my brain. I raised my head from the table.

"Where is she?" I asked them exasperatedly.

"Who, Pansy?" Daphne asked. She seemed so concerned that I felt guilty for letting Blaise and myself involve her in this. Nonetheless, she had definitely helped. "She's probably getting ready in her dormitory, dancing as usual. She's usually not a breakfast person", she added. Of course Pansy wouldn't be at breakfast, she never was the majority of the time. She happened to think that breakfast made her fat.

Suddenly, I stood up from the table, startling Blaise and Daphne.

"Where are you going?" Blaise asked confusedly.

With a newfound strength, I replied, "I'm going to go talk to Pansy."

And with that, I left, not bothering to wait or look back for the two's reactions.

I knew exactly what to do. I knew what needed to happen.

I was set and determined, but on my way out of the Great Hall, something was brought to my attention.

Weasley was walking in with Sylvia Trenton or whatever her name was, who was looking as slutty as ever. She was clinging to him as a little child would cling to their father, whining and moaning for something. Instead of whining though, Sylvia seemed to busy whispering and giggling into the ginger's ear. I sneered as I came towards them. After Hermione had told me everything he had done, I was determined to seek her some justice. To my satisfaction, Weasley's goofy smile seemed to vanish as soon as I approached them. I looked them over, and smirked.

"Excuse me Weasel, but I believe this is an area for eating, not for public displays of affection." I sneered, looking over Sylvia with an obvious disgust. She looked up at me, and I saw her shift a little closer to her boy toy. I turned back to Weasley, whose face displayed an air of utter contempt. "Ten points from Gryffindor", I added.

He nearly turned puce. "What! How have we done anything wrong? We've just bloody walked in –"

I narrowed my eyes at him, and I felt my smirk grow a fairly large amount. "And I think I'll add in a detention as well, for talking back to the Head Boy. We wouldn't want those removed points to get lonely, now would we?"

"Listen ferret –"

"Shall I alert the Head Girl about this?" I added knowingly, and as I read the redhead's eyes, I could tell that he knew I knew something. The look on Weasley's face just about made my day. "Didn't think so", I said quietly, sneering at him. As soon as I was done, I pushed past them, leaving Weasley and his slut to enjoy their breakfast.

I had business to attend to, and I wasn't about to let someone as worthless as the Weasel interrupt me.

After all, I had only done it for Hermione.

I couldn't help the small smile that came to my face when I imagined the reaction she would have when I told her. She would be very happy, very happy indeed.

Despite the depressing task ahead of me, I bounded down the stairs to the Slytherin dungeons with a more cheerful spring in my step.

VVVVV

When I arrived at the dungeons, an intense wave of nostalgia hit me. I hadn't been in the dungeons since the beginning of the year, since I had been appointed Head Boy and given my own quarters. I had missed it. Looking at the bluish-green light that shone through the windows from the water of the lake, I remembered all of the memories I had had in the Slytherin common room. There had been many, many good times, many parties, and many difficult circumstances, and as I thought about them, I realized that I wouldn't trade them for the world. They had helped shape me into the person I was today.

Scratch that. Maybe I would trade them then.

As I stood there, reliving my memories, the melancholy sound of a piano seeped into the room. I looked up and the fluid thoughts of my memories disappeared. I realized that the source of the music was coming from the girls' dormitories.

_Pansy? _

Immediately, I went for the stairs, and as I began to reach the room, the music became louder and louder. I came into the small, narrow hallway and listened again. When I realized the music was coming from an open door a few paces to the left, I walked over, careful to make as little noise as possible. I hoped that everyone except Pansy would still be at breakfast, because if anyone saw me up here, it wouldn't bring good results. I peered into the open doorway, and the music was so loud I couldn't even hear my own footsteps. That didn't matter however, because I had reached where I needed to be.

Inside, dancing on her own to the soulful voice of a young woman with piano and violin accompaniment was Pansy, completely unaware that I was watching her from only a few feet away. I was cautious at first to watch her, and pondered if I should just turn off the music with my wand. But I left it. I left her alone. The least I could do was let her be happy in the moment she was having.

As I watched her, twirling and leaping about like a graceful swan, I remembered that even though I had only seen Pansy dance once, in fourth year, it was still one of my favorite things about her. Watching her dance put me at peace, in a way, and I appreciated her for it.

I watched her for a few more minutes, her sad and graceful dance coming to an end, and as it did, I listened to the lyrics.

'_Sometimes I wish for falling, wish for the release, wish for falling through the air to give me some relief, because falling is not the problem when I'm falling I'm at peace suddenly when I hit the ground it causes only grief'_

Then the dance came to a stop, exactly on cue with the music, and the beauty of it was astonishing to me. Pansy was still standing there, breathing hard, with her back to me. I wondered how long I would be able to stand there, if I didn't announce myself.

I clapped slowly for a few moments, startling her.

Pansy turned, slowly, and when she saw me standing there against the doorway, she gasped. Her eyes, hurt but still wide in disbelief, stared at me, shocked. Her long, dark hair had been tied up into a high ponytail, and she was clad in nothing but little short shorts and a gray tank top. She had also left her face bare, without a trace of makeup, something that I had rarely seen in all of the years I had known her. I preferred her this way, when she didn't try to cover up her natural beauty. But I wasn't here to admire her.

"_Draco?_"

"Good morning, Pansy. Have I ever told you how beautifully you danced?"

She stared at me, her gaze turning a bit skeptical. She had also managed to ignore my compliment. "What are you doing here? What do you want?" She asked, grabbing her wand and turning off the next song that had began to play.

"What? Am I not allowed to talk to you anymore?" I asked, surveying her. She shrunk back a little as I did. I didn't blame her for being confused. After all, I had made it pretty clear that I wasn't too fond of her, and yet I was here in her bedroom trying to have a conversation with her. She turned away from me slightly when I didn't answer immediately.

"Well it's not like we have anything to talk about", she said bitterly, and I felt the surge of guilt return and settle in my stomach. I stepped into the room without her invitation, realizing that I had been standing against the doorway this whole entire time.

"Pansy, you know that's not true. For God's sake, you know why I'm here."

"Of course I know! You either want one of two things, sex or to cause me embarrassment. That's the way it's always been for _years_, if you haven't noticed." She bit back, and the anger in her voice made me want to leave or scream at her. Did she really think I was here for either of those things? Didn't she know guilty I felt?

"Pansy, I'm sorry." I blurted out, before I could find a better way to say it. She turned to me, shaking her head. Her eyes were rimmed with tears.

"You don't know what you're talking about", she replied, and her voice was strong, unlike the expression on her face. "Just leave alright? I'm not going to give you want!"

I looked at her, torn between wanting to do as she said or hug her. "I don't want anything from you Pansy. Don't you understand? All I want is for you to know that I'm sorry. For everything."

I had meant what I said. Whether she wanted to believe it or not was up to her.

She rolled her eyes at me, still trying to act as if she wasn't hurt, as if this didn't matter to her. As she did, a tear slid down her face, and she wiped it away before I could do or say anything. "Listen, I'm really not in the mood for bullshit right now, so please leave!" She growled, and I stood there, shocked by her words. Pansy rarely cursed, she was much too ladylike for it, so when she did, you knew she had to be really upset. Another thing was that when she was upset, she never lashed out, but instead, pouted until she got what she wanted. This was a new side to her which I had never seen before.

Tension sat in the room like thick smog, making it hard to breathe. All I could do was try again and again, until she believed me.

"Pansy, whether you choose to believe it or not, I really _am_ sorry, not just for what happened at the ball, but for all of the years that I've ever –"

"Just shut _up_!" She shrilled, moving towards me and attempting to push me out of the room. I didn't budge, and she punched me, hard, on the shoulder. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now. She hit me again, and again, and I did nothing. I was beginning to feel numb again. After a few more punches, her head slumped against my now probably bruised and aching shoulder, her body trembling from her sobs. Her hands gripped the front of my robes.

"Don't you understand?" Pansy choked out, her voice thick from sobbing. "All I want to do is try and forget about it, and I can't because you keep trying to make it worse! I don't need your apology, and I don't need your pity! I feel guilty enough!"

I looked down at her. She really didn't understand, did she? She was too distraught to comprehend that what I was trying to help her. Tentatively, I placed an arm around her, and when she didn't object, I placed the other around her, enveloping her in my arms. I stood there and let her cry, her tears seeping into my fresh robes.

"You don't need to be guilty for anything Pans. This is my fault, not yours", I told her, speaking over her sobs, my throat dry. I didn't know what to do to make this better, and I wished I had never come up here, acting as if I knew what I was doing. I had only made things worse. "I'm sorry", I muttered again, trying to push away the silence that repeatedly kept trying to creep into me.

"I really wish things could've turned out differently."

Pansy looked up at me then, her eyes big and red, the remnants of tears still clinging to her cheeks. "You do?" she whispered.

I nodded.

I really, truly did. I wished I didn't always have to end up hurting the ones that cared for me.

_Maybe then I could've loved her the way she loved me_.

But I didn't, I couldn't ever see myself doing so. We were too different, and not in the good way. Maybe one day we could patch things up and start over. Be friends.

"Yeah, maybe." I heard Pansy murmur, and until then I hadn't realized I had been speaking out loud. It seemed she was done crying, and the guilt inside my stomach seemed to ebb away slightly. I had a feeling it would never fully leave me. "I want to say I forgive you, but –"

"Don't", I said, cutting Pansy off. The fact that she was so willing to give me more than a second chance made me want to make her hate me, so that she would realize how much of a horrible person I really was. I didn't want her to be naïve. She deserved better than me.

She deserved a _whole_ person.

Without warning, I took her head in my hands and pressed my lips, softly, against her forehead. I stood there for a moment, inhaling the scent of her matching shampoo and perfume that I had grown to know so well over the years. Pansy had closed her eyes, but the emotion was still etched clearly across her features. Realizing that I would never again be this close to her made this apology seem like a goodbye. I hadn't realized that this would be so hard.

Slowly, I took my hands away from her face and stepped away from her. Pansy didn't call out to me as I walked the few paces back to the doorway without looking at her. At the last moment, I turned around, deciding that there was no harm in taking one last look. She looked as if she wanted to say something to me, but I wouldn't give her the chance. It would be best to cut off ties the way it was now.

"Take care, Pansy", I murmured, staring at her.

She nodded, almost discreetly, and I didn't wait for words.

I walked out of her room, and hopefully, for her sake, out of her life, for the very last time.

Nothing had happened, and I wasn't going to look back.

What was done was done.

VVVVV

Hey guys! So this is my first update back from Thanksgiving break! It's great to be back, and I hope you guys had a great vacation! What do you guys think of the story so far? **Feel free to review or leave constructive criticism/ideas!** Love to all!


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: You already know what I'm going to say! I own nothing but the plot.

Ch. 27

"Seamus Finnigan?"

"Present!"

"Hannah Abbott?"

"Present!"

"Ernie Macmillan?"

"Present!"

"Millicent Bulstrode?"

"Present."

While Professor Binns called out the names of our History of Magic class, my eyes drifted over the seats. Class had started a little less than ten minutes ago, and although it had just started, people's eyes had already started to drift warily in my direction. With no doubt in my mind, they had all been talking about my behavior at the ball a few days ago. As I walked in, I kept my eyes glued to my seat, ignoring the people that had been muttering and whispering about me. It was when I sat down and Professor Binns entered the room that the gossip finally stopped. I wasn't paying attention to them though, and frankly, I was beginning to not care of they talked about me or not. I was to follow Draco's suggestions that he had given to me during our talk.

'_Keep quiet, and focus on yourself.' _

As I remembered his words, I also remembered that he was in this class, but as my eyes scanned his seat, I realized it was empty.

_He wasn't in class. _

Without warning, worry began to set in my conscience. Where was he? He rarely ever missed classes, I'd noticed, and only ever did when he was either too sick to attend or had to take care of important Head student matters, which I was usually involved in. Plus, I had seen him in the Great Hall this morning, sitting with the Slytherins for breakfast as usual, looking troubled.

Trying to focus on the class, I told myself I was worrying for nothing. What could possibly happen to him whilst he was here at Hogwarts? He was fine.

"Blaise Zabini?"

"Present", I heard Blaise reply, sitting next to Draco's empty chair. Surely he of all people knew where Draco was. But it wasn't as if I could just go up and ask.

"Harry Potter?"

"Present."

I had forgotten that Harry was in this class. I hadn't talked to him, Ron, Ginny, or any of the other girls since the night of the ball. In fact, I had made it my priority to steer clear of all of them. This was my first time seeing Harry since that night, and by the looks of it, he didn't look to happy. As I stared at him, he caught my eye, and held it for a moment. Although he was sitting a few seats away, he didn't bother to whisper anything to me, or pass me a note.

Obviously Ron had told him _his_ side of the story, which meant we weren't on talking terms. Something inside of me wondered if I had lost Harry too. I didn't know if I would be able to take that, and so I hoped that this was just another rough patch between us. I looked at him again, and saw that he was still looking at me. He looked as if he wanted to say something for a moment, but this wasn't the right place _or_ the right time, and so he turned to face the front of the class again.

"Susan Bones?"

Another name that wasn't Draco's. Another answer that wasn't his.

I stared down at the table for a moment while Professor Binns kept calling out names. It seemed to go on forever.

"Emily Rowle?"

"Present."

"Draco Malfoy?"

Before anyone could administer the silence, my head shot up on its own accord. My eyes darted to his seat again, hoping that he would somehow magically be sitting in it.

He wasn't.

Binns called his name again, and when no one answered, he turned to Blaise.

"Mr. Zabini?"

"Sir?"

"Would you happen to know the whereabouts of young Mr. Malfoy? He seems to be missing from the class." Binns inquired, and the drone of his voice was so severe I almost wanted to cover my ears. At the question, almost everyone directed their attention to Blaise, who sat there, smirking.

"No idea Professor. Maybe he's too sick to attend his classes today, or perhaps running late?" Blaise replied, and there was a mock in his voice that only he could get away with.

"Merlin's beard!" exclaimed Professor Binns. "Late you say? But the class started nearly ten minutes ago, what on earth could he be doing that could make him this tardy? He might as well be absent –"

"Sorry I'm late."

My breath hitched at the sound of the voice, the voice I had been waiting to hear since the beginning of class. I immediately found the source of the sound.

Draco was standing at the doorway of the classroom, hands in his pocket, the familiar black messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

At the sight of him, the worry that had been pinned against my chest released, and I was able to focus again, but this time, for some reason, I could only keep my eyes glued to him. The more I looked at him, I noticed that he seemed a bit distressed, but in front of the class, he seemed to mask it easily.

I began to wonder. Had something happened that made him late?

"Speak of the devil", Blaise muttered, rolling his eyes a bit comically. Draco nodded in his direction. Some of the class began to murmur and a few students in the back sniggered at Blaise's comment.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy! Lovely to see your appearance in my classroom. One would've thought you'd been snatched up by Wendelin the Weird! And exactly why are you late?" Binns asked him, making a sad attempt at a History of Magic joke. Nobody laughed.

Draco cleared his throat, and very quickly, his eyes caught mine. He looked away almost immediately, the edges of his lips quivering mysteriously, wanting to turn into what would be a small smile. He didn't dare. "I'm afraid a third year teacher needed my help surveying the students. I apologize for my tardiness sir."

The lie came smooth and undetectable from his lips, but I could tell he had been doing something else entirely. I wanted to know, to question him about it, to find out why he looked so conflicted, but he would obviously find that too invasive. We had agreed to be civil to each other, friends even, but that didn't include interfering into each other's personal business without being asked to. I shrugged it off. At least he was here now. I still couldn't quite place my reason for caring so much. Why did it matter?

Professor Binns smiled at Draco, believing his lie and complimenting him for being helpful. "Not to worry Mr. Malfoy. It was your duty as Head Boy, completely understandable. Points will not be taken from your house for your lateness. Please take your seat."

Draco nodded, walked over to Blaise, and took his seat beside him. People had taken this opportunity to quietly start talking, and I briefly heard Blaise question Draco before Professor Binns called the class's attention and began to teach.

Everything was well, and I began to work, no longer clouded by the worry of Draco's whereabouts.

VVVVV

It was halfway into the two hour class until I heard or saw anything of Draco again.

I had been focused on my work, trying to answer twenty questions about Bathilda Bagshot and how she had concluded a book on the goblins revolution against making Wizarding tools when a small, white, fluttering origami hummingbird appeared at my desk. Before I could bring any attention to myself, I quickly scooped it up in my hands and put it on my lap, underneath the table, away from the eyes of everyone in the class.

Was Harry finally trying to talk to me?

But then I remembered that I had once tried to teach Harry how to do origami and he had failed miserably at it, claiming that it was 'too complicated' and 'just a waste of paper'. No, this little bird had come from someone else, and as I looked around the classroom for the culprit, my eyes fell on Draco again. There was a pause before he nodded once, almost discreetly, and made a small movement with his hands, telling me to open it.

With that, He turned to face the front of the class again, looking more than amused.

I looked at him curiously. What in Merlin's name was he doing? Nonetheless, I nodded discreetly back, looked back down at the fluttering piece of parchment on my lap, and did as he said.

There was no problem opening the origami, as I had suspected a loud, crinkly noise would occur, but it had been charmed into silence. Looking around once more to make sure that Binns hadn't turned around to ask questions, and that no one else was looking, I looked down at small piece of paper in my hands.

_Meant to tell you this earlier, but I figured it look weird if I just walked right up to you in front of the whole class. Gave Weasley a detention this morning. Thought to give one to his little slag too, but I knew you would be perfectly happy just giving him one. I also took away ten points from Gryffindor (sorry about that), but you can earn those back easily._

– _Draco_

I nearly laughed aloud, and I would've if I hadn't realized we were currently in class. I looked over at Draco's table and saw him staring back at me knowingly, his face torn between a smirk and a faint smile. Blaise sat beside him, diligently working as we should've been, as oblivious as ever.

Grabbing my quill, I went to write back and realized that the paper was now empty. His magic was exceptional. I smiled again, and began to write back.

_You should be ashamed of yourself! I would scorn you for it if I wasn't so happy about it...thanks Draco. I'm actually surprised that you would go out of your way to actually get him in trouble for me. And of course I can earn those points back! The sooner the better actually._

– _Hermione_

I went to fold up the paper, not knowing how to turn it into his type origami bird again, but I didn't have to. As soon as I was done writing, it immediately returned to its original form, flew out of my hands and zoomed back to Draco underneath people's seats.

Just as he had done to me, I watched him receive my message. His head was lowered as he read it, and I could see the faint outline of a smile on his features. I waited less than a minute before the bird came back to me, flying straight into my lap this time. With an unexplainable excitement in my chest, I quickly unraveled it.

_Don't get a big head, it wasn't all for you, you know. You're not the only one who's not so fond of him. At least you finally realized what a jerk he is. All we need now is for your friend Potter to realize it as well. But then again…never mind._

VVVVV

Granger – Hermione and I had been passing notes for the past few minutes of class. For some reason, I hadn't been able to hold in my excitement to tell her about how I had gotten Weasley in trouble, so I had decided to pass her a little note. Little had I known that that small note would've blossomed into a slightly bigger conversation! She was easy to talk to, and I needed a distraction from the deed I had just done, because apologizing to Pansy had been much harder than I had expected it to be. I wondered if Hermione had bothered to consider where I had been. I shrugged it off.

Why would she care? I doubt she had hardly noticed that I had been gone until I had entered the class ten minutes late. I also wondered if she would later ask me where I'd been. Luckily, Blaise had covered for me, apparently saying I was running late, but I hadn't needed him to. The excuse had been extremely vague, and I had been able to come up with a better one of the spot.

It was strange, talking to her like this.

Passing notes, in my opinion, was what close friends did, and while neither she nor I had discussed the depth of our newly acquainted 'friendship', we definitely weren't at that level yet.

Was there even a level we were on?

I stopped thinking as another note from Hermione came flying to me. I quickly took a look at Blaise to make sure he was still focused on his work, and judging by the way his quill was scribbling furiously across the page, there was a high doubt that he was aware of anything going on around him at the moment. I quickly unraveled the bird, and looked at what she wrote back.

_You know that's nonsense just as well as I do! Although it's true that Ron can be the thickest prat in the world, Harry would never be able to __**not**__ be friends with him. As stupid as it sounds, they kind of balance each other out. As much as I'd like to say I fit in there somewhere, I don't really think I can anymore…Harry and I have stopped talking too…he always sides with Ron._

As soon as I read the statement, I looked up to see her face, which had returned to a sad, vulnerable expression that had been a keepsake for the past few days, since the night of the ball. Unexpectedly, I felt anger surge into me, making my head felt hot. As I wrote back, I gripped my quill a little too hard, and there was an audible crack.

_Well, that's because Potter's an idiot. Anyone with common sense would be able to tell that you would make a better friend than Weasley! You're obviously the better option. And before you object, why don't you take a look at scarhead right now? He's not __**that **__great._

I took the time to glance at Potter myself before returning to the note. He was sitting at his desk, his head resting on his hand, obviously deciding not to pay attention to the class. I had always hated the way Potter had that air of thinking he was better than everyone else. For years I had wondered why everyone thought he was so _fucking_ great. Oh right, he was the Chosen One. If he didn't have that title, he really wouldn't have anything going for him. And being friends with Weasley definitely showed that.

With that in mind, I returned the note back to her, and went back to my work for a moment. In very little time at all, the bird had returned. I wondered if she would lash out on me for bashing her oh so saintly Potter. I kind of wanted her to; I wanted to push her buttons. As I read her response, I could imagine her scorning me, her voice defensive and heated.

_You're biased! Besides, you've always been clouded by hate for him, how would you know what he's really like? Oh right, you wouldn't. As soon as I get the chance to talk to Harry, I'll set him straight._

I went to reply with a witty remark about how I didn't care and how I wouldn't be worrying about it, but before I could, there was the distinct, loud sound of the clearing of a throat.

I looked up, midway through writing, and my grip on my quill slackened considerably. Professor Binns was standing above my desk with an irate expression on his face. As I looked at him, I heard all of scribbling quills around me come to a stop. People were starting to stare, but I didn't dare look anywhere but his face. I wondered how long he'd been standing there.

"Mr. Malfoy? You seem to be quite preoccupied with that little note of yours. Mind if I share it with the class?" He held out his hand, waiting to receive the note.

_Damn. _

I stared at him blankly, and slowly placed the note into his outstretched palm. I could feel every single eye in the room on me, and I was sure that Hermione was watching too. I watched Professor Binns look over the note, and if I had done the protective charm right, then it would only seem like a little reminder to Hermione saying which students had detentions today, something that wasn't uncommonly done between the Head boy and girl. Obviously, Binns had been expecting something else, like a little doodle or a juicy love note that he could share with the class and embarrass me with, but I had proven him wrong. His eyebrows rose for a moment, before passing the note back to me.

"Put it away and return to your work, Mr. Malfoy. And next time, please refrain from sending Miss Granger personal notes in my class, no matter how important they are."

The blood drained from my face as he looked over at Hermione, who shot him a guilty, apologetic look before returning to her work. A group of students behind me snickered. One wolf-whistled.

After a moment, Professor Binns left my desk with a warning look and returned the front of the room, where he began to restart the passage he had been reading to the class. I began to pay attention this time, and I didn't dare look at Hermione, just in case anyone saw. No doubt Potter was probably sniffing like a guard dog a few seats behind me now. Blaise nudged my elbow.

"_What the hell are you doing_?" He mouthed silently, looking at me in disbelief. I didn't answer, but abandoned my will and took one last look at Hermione, who was now returning diligently to her work, looking flustered.

Regret flushed over me, for getting her into trouble, and for behaving stupidly. I couldn't bring myself to answer Blaise. I didn't know what I was doing or why I was doing it.

_I really didn't know. _

VVVVV

As soon as the bell rang, I darted out of my seat, not bothering to wait for anyone to question to me. I didn't dare look at Draco, Professor Binns, or Harry. Packing my things, I hurried out of the room, dodging untucked seats. I hadn't gone far into the hallway when I heard a familiar voice call after me.

"Hermione!"

I kept walking, going as fast as I could. If I made it to one of the changing staircases in time, I would be able to avoid Harry.

"Hermione wait up!" He called again, his voice getting closer. I made a quick run to one of the stairs, not even the right one that would take me to my next class, but just as I prepared to step onto it, it shifted, leaving me stranded. I cursed inwardly. If hadn't done that stupid double take, I would've caught the stairs. I turned to tell Harry to bugger off, but I was too surprised at the fact that he had caught up so fast to say anything.

"Show me", was all he said, sounding like a protective dad suspicious of his daughters activities. Some nerve he had.

"Excuse me?" I replied, giving him the harshest tone I could.

"You heard me Hermione. Show me the note." Harry said to me, holding out his hand just as Professor Binns had done to Draco. I stood there, glaring at him. I wanted to punch him for sounding so bloody self righteous.

When I didn't answer him immediately, he sighed, irritated. "Come on Hermione. What are you trying to hide? Look, I know you're upset with Ron, but what are you trying to do, give us both a heart attack? If you're messaging Malfoy, we need to know."

I stared at him a little longer, the anger inside me rising. "How dare you Harry?" I asked him incredulously. "How _dare _you think it's any of your business to interfere in anything I do? I don't need you _or_ Ron's permission to do anything!"

"That's not what I meant! Listen Hermione, Malfoy is not the best company to keep! He's dangerous–"

"Of course you did! And for your information, I could care less about your opinion on the people I speak to! Judging by Ron, you don't know how to keep such great company yourself! If you must know, Draco was just giving me the list of people that I have to submit to McGonagall for detentions today –"

Harry stared at me for a moment, shocked. "Hold on. _You're _the one in charge of the detentions? You gave Ron a detention?" He asked me, almost as incredulous as me. I nodded defiantly.

"Yes, I am. And actually, Draco gave him the detention, not me, but I consented to it."

Harry gawked at me, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets and pressing against his glasses. He didn't seem to comprehend. "You _let Malfoy _give _Ron _a detention? Blimey Hermione, that's not right of you at all! You've obviously been hanging around the bloke a lot more than I expected. Who knew you'd side with him after all?" He said to me, and his voice had changed, turned cold. He was trying to make me feel guilty.

After all of the things he knew that Ron had done to me, I was_ still_ the one looked down upon? I felt my eyes well up with tears. I could hear the next round of changing staircases arriving.

"Of course Harry. Because _you'd_ know _all_ about siding with the right person, wouldn't you?" I replied sarcastically, trying to hide the choke in my voice. Harry stared at me as if he couldn't believe the things that were coming out of my mouth. I didn't wait for him to reply. Instead I turned and stepped on the first stairway that I saw, and didn't look back until it had led me to the other side of the school. Harry had vanished by then. I was entirely alone, and late to my class because of our argument.

I brushed tears away from my face.

Harry would tell Ron everything, and then Ron would tell Ginny, who would tell the others…

Surely I would have no one after that.

VVVVV

Hey guys! So this has been a pretty sad chapter for Hermione huh? We'll just have to wait and see if things get better! **Feel free to leave a review, ideas, or constructive criticism!** Love to all!


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I will _always_ just own my plot!

Ch. 28

After a day of ridiculous note passing, hearing gossip about me, fighting with Harry, and classes, I was dead tired.

I was tired of everything.

I just wanted to get to my dorm, have a bath, and then curl up into my bed.

At least that's what I had planned. But the things I planned always seemed to have a way of getting fucked up, didn't they?

Somehow, almost out of nowhere, someone had managed to catch up to me on the way to my room. It was nine o'clock in the evening, and everyone was at dinner, which I had skipped. I wasn't hungry. I was numb and tired. The person rested a light hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my hurried tracks.

"Hey", they whispered.

The voice sounded oddly familiar, as if it was something that I had forgotten. I turned around and elicited a small gasp.

_Merlin. _

I hadn't expected to see Dean. I hadn't seen him since the horrible night that had been the Winter Ball a few days ago. I had managed to ignore him since then. We hadn't had any contact since that night that I had walked out on him, and I certainly wasn't planning to have any more with him.

He smiled slightly at me, and for once, he looked nervous.

I stared at him unblinkingly. I didn't know what to say. I almost had to fight the urge walk away from him. What could I tell him really? Sorry _for going to the ball with you to make Ron jealous, and then kissing you while I was drunk?_ Or that Ron and I weren't friends anymore?

Both of those statements seemed utterly pointless.

When I didn't say anything, his smile faltered.

"Alright then?" He asked me, taking his hand off of my shoulder and dipping it into his pocket. I stared at him impassively. My train of thought seemed to have vanished, along with my voice. There was a long, extremely awkward.

"Guess not", he murmured, and he gave me a strange look. "And I'm guessing you don't want to talk to me either."

_Silence. _

Dean exhaled, and with one last look at me, began to walk away.

I reached out and grabbed his arm, and he paused for a moment, looking at me incredulously. He probably thought I had some sort of severe personality disorder, with the way I was behaving. One minute I was all over him, and the next I was completely pokerfaced? I didn't blame him; it did seem a bit odd, not to mention twofaced...

But just because I was feeling like crap didn't mean it was Dean's fault, or that I had the right to take it out on him. After all,_ I_ had kissed _him_.

"Sorry", I muttered, looking down at the stone floor. "Not having a good day."

He turned to face me completely. "I understand...we all have those days." He smiled slightly, a lot happier now that I hadn't let him walk away. I really didn't think he understood. I didn't expect him to. By bad day, I meant bad week. Bad month, even.

"Sure we do", I replied, still thinking. I heard myself laugh faintly. Dean stared at me for a moment and I realized that he was closer than he should be. We were only inches apart. A tiny smile traced his lips.

I had forgotten how good looking Dean was. His eyes were a dark, warm, amber liquor color, and his skin was a naturally tanned and bronzed. He had perfect features; ones that I hadn't failed to appreciate during the Ball. I had barely been able to keep myself from taking him right then and there on the table! I winced inwardly at the thought.

But then again I had been drunk, and sought out on a stupid, unorganized plan to make Ron jealous. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite decipher. I shrunk back a little, into myself. I couldn't help but be a little self conscious, the way he was looking at me.

"What?" I asked, insecurely brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. Dean bit his lip, the edges of his lips still slightly lifted up. He seemed to have snapped out of his reverie at my comment.

"Nothing it's just…I haven't really been able to talk to you since the ball and I thought you would turn me away. But I'm glad you didn't. I'm pretty surprised actually." He admitted, looking like shy child. It was sweet of him, and had it been any other moment or situation, I would've been momentarily distracted by his always adorable grin.

But this wasn't the case.

"I'm not shocked you're surprised", I muttered. "But you have to understand why I didn't try talking to you…after the way I acted."

Dean nodded quietly, and I could hear the crickets chirping outside from an open arched window beside me. "I just hope you aren't too upset at me. I shouldn't have let you have any firewhiskey", he admitted.

I nearly snorted. How could he possibly think that what I had done was his fault?

"It's really no fault of yours, Dean. I basically snatched the bottle out of your hands!" I replied embarrassedly . I didn't want him to feel guilty, but judging by his expression, he seemed very guilty indeed.

Dean sighed, seeming frustrated with himself. "Yeah, but so what? I was your date, I was supposed to look after you and make sure you were alright!" He stressed. He paused for a moment.

"I'm sorry Hermione."

He looked so genuine it hurt. I took his hand. I was _not _going to let him blame himself. I had been extremely stupid that night, and I had done it all to make Ron jealous.

I really needed to sort out my priorities.

"I really appreciate it, Dean. But you don't have to be. All of this is _my_ fault. I drank because I wanted to make Ron jealous. It was stupid, and I do regret it, but that doesn't mean I'm _not_ going to take responsibility for it."I told him firmly, my brown eyes meeting his dark amber ones. He squeezed my hand. I paused for a moment, my eyebrows creased in thought. "And I'm sorry for kissing you." I bit out.

Dean looked at me, seeming so shy that he had to look at me from underneath his eyelashes. The small smile returned. "Do you regret that too?" He mused. He seemed to look a little more determined now.

My breath faltered. I didn't know if I did or not.

I also hadn't expected him to bring it up. "What do you mean?" I asked quietly, trying to give myself sometime to think. He stepped closer to me. A few inches closer and my hands would easily be able to brush against his robes.

Dean gazed at me, his eyes full or warmth as he spoke. "I mean I don't." he paused.

I stared at him, and I reckoned my eyes looked like saucers. "You _don't_?"

He shook his head, smiling now. "Not at all."

I remembered the way Dean had looked at me after I had kissed. He had looked slightly taken aback, but under so much alcoholic influence that he was satisfied. I thought it wouldn't last, and therefore, I had chosen not to worry about it. I couldn't really bring myself to regret the kiss though. It seemed to linger on the more I thought about it. As slag-like as it sounded, I didn't quite mind.

I didn't really know what I was doing.

"I suppose I don't either." I murmured. I needed to be more decisive. Dean seemed to light up at my answer. He smiled so big that it must've hurt his cheeks.

"Great! Well how about we start fresh?"

"Sorry?" I asked. My brain seemed to have shut down. I was drawing blanks. Dean shrugged.

"Do you think I could see you again? Like a date, I suppose."

_Dean wanted a date? With me? _

I wondered why. Apparently he couldn't see what a broke down mess I was. I couldn't bear to hurt anyone else's feelings. Maybe saying yes to Dean would work out for the best. After all, Dean was a perfectly attractive, charismatic boy. One date couldn't possibly hurt! There was no agreement or commitment, no contract.

_No drama. _

I could make decisions for myself.

"Yes", I told him firmly. "I wouldn't mind that."

He smiled again for what would've probably been the thirtieth time in our short encounter. He seemed so happy about it. About what exactly? The fact that he had a 'date' with me? My brain was fuzzed and I couldn't think clearly, so instead, I took the moment to count each one of his shiny, white, perfect teeth.

"Brilliant", Dean murmured merrily, and before I could open my mouth to come up with some half assed reply, my head was against his chest and his was against my hair. Caught by the surprise of the hug, I felt myself stiffen for a millisecond. Not wanting to give him the wrong idea, I quickly switched my body language. I wanted to sigh and lean into him. I hadn't been hugged in a long time now it seemed, and I had missed the contact.

But I couldn't.

_I couldn't bring myself to do it. _

Sighing almost too tiredly than I would've liked, I tentatively and awkwardly patted a part of his upper back that I could reach, somewhere around his shoulder blade. Why was I feeling so numb?

He must've understood, because as soon as I did, he let go of me and stepped back a few inches. I smiled at him, hoping that I didn't look too grim.

"I'm really sorry for acting like this Dean, I don't know what's gotten into me. I suppose it's just been a long day." I paused. I saw his eyebrows quirk up slightly. He seemed to be a bit confused at my actions.

Once again, I didn't blame him.

With the best manners I could, I decided to depart back to my room.

"Well goodbye", I replied, rather abruptly.

I didn't wait for words then, but instead, gave my back to him and began walking down the hall and up the stairs to my dormitory.

"Bye", I heard him call after me a few moments later.

I must've been tired. So tired I could barely mumble the password to my dormitory. As soon as I got in, things began to blur, and my eyes became unfocused.

_Was there something wrong? _

_You're tired Hermione. Just tired. _

I couldn't think. I couldn't function.

Couldn't see.

I hit the bed face first, and my face submerged into the pillows. Everything dimmed vaguely.

And then it went black.

VVVVV

The last class of the day had just ended, and I had hurried out of there faster than anyone else.

I didn't want any questions.

I paced myself down the hallway. If I got to my room fast enough, then I could avoid Blaise.

"Draco!" Someone called after me.

I swore inwardly.

_Speak of the Devil. _

It looks like I hadn't been fast enough, because before I had halfway reached my room, Blaise had somehow caught up to me. He placed a rough hand on my shoulder and whirled me around to face him, a suspicious look tracing his face.

"We need to talk."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "There's nothing to talk about, Blaise."

Blaise's eyebrows rose. "Oh really? Well maybe you've forgotten about how you were passing notes to Granger in the middle of class earlier today?" He retorted, as sarcastic as I had ever heard him.

I shook my head. I wasn't going to put up with Blaise and his antics right now. I didn't have the patience for it. I went to walk away from him and he grabbed my shoulder again, but this time I shrugged him off, just as roughly has he had grabbed me.

"Not today, Blaise", I warned him, and I could hear my voice become stern.

He laughed sardonically, but nonetheless took his hand off of me. "I suppose you don't realize what you're doing. Excuse me for wanting to inquire why my best friend was going around passing notes to a Mudblood –"

"_Don't_ call her that!" I spat out, before I could even register what I had said. I repressed the sickening urge to clasp a hand over my mouth, and I bit the inside of my cheek, hard. I could taste slightest sliver of copper on my tongue. Blaise scoffed.

I wanted to punch him, or even worse, turn my wand on him.

"Are you joking Draco? What's happening to you? What would your father say? I don't know what's going on between you two, but it's definitely not something I would expect you to want." He retorted.

Rage flashed over my eyes, I was beginning to see red.

How _dare _he? How dare he assume that I was joking? How dare he have the audacity to try and tell me what I could and couldn't do? Out of all the people that had ever judged me, I had never expected to hear Blaise talk to me like this. He was aware of everything that had happened to me, everything that had happened last year _and_ during the summer –

Mid thought, a flash went through my head and I couldn't restrain the image of a hairless, almost glowing face with snakelike features, teeth curled up in a wicked smile so similar to a grimace that it was hard to tell as I writhed on the floor in mind blowing pain, my father smirking over me and my mother in tears in the corner of our large drawing room, to weak and terrified to beg for my mercy –

Blood rushed to my ears at the memory, and I winced, closing my eyes for a moment, cringing painfully.

I could still hear my mother screaming, mixing in with my loud, uncompleted, and multiple cut off pleas for the pain to stop.

Managing to escape from the memory, I opened my eyes. Blaise was staring at me, torn between being angry and confused.

He had never brought up my father, only I had. And the fact that he had chosen this moment to do so, right after calling Hermione a Mudblood was something I could hardly bear. In a way, he had broken our unspoken agreement. I didn't bring up his murdering, many- timed widow of a mother if he didn't bring up my worthless, power hungry father.

I supposed I couldn't blame him for calling Hermione that horrible name. I had used it more times than I could count, on her especially, during our earlier years at Hogwarts. To not admit that I had would make me a hypocrite, something I fought not to be when necessary. This year was different, for many reasons, and I wouldn't let Blaise or anyone insult the girl that had helped me change, without even noticing it herself.

It was a work in progress.

"Look, Blaise." I said quietly, bringing a hand up to my hair and running through it. I had a habit of doing that when trying to figure something out. "I don't blame you for being confused at my actions. I wish I could explain them to you, but I couldn't even if I tried. You just have to understand that Hermione and I are friends now. If you were to tell me that this year would've turned the way it has, I would've probably given you the same reaction you just gave me. I didn't ask for any of this. She's helping…" I finished, the last sentence almost inaudible.

Blaise's expression had changed from the beginning to the end of my response, and his features had softened considerably. He still looked a bit skeptical, but it seemed as if I had gotten to him.

_I would eventually. _

Blaise paused for a moment. "You're sure about this?" He pondered.

I nodded. He had seemed to relinquish his stubborn opinion that what I was doing should be looked down upon.

"Well I'm not going to ask for details then. This is your choice, and if you want to be friends with her, then I guess I can't stop you. I'm still going to be here for you mate." Blaise shrugged, but his face was still significantly serious.

I exhaled freely, as if a huge weight had been released from my chest. He would learn to understand, I supposed, and I was glad he wasn't asking to be aware of everything; things were already complicated enough. Although Blaise didn't like her, he seemed to stand her enough for me to be friends with her.

Blaise punched my shoulder, his playfulness returning. He grinned. "I know you weren't planning on skipping dinner, were you? Not when you could be in _my_ presence."He said, and his air for dramatics had returned.

I smirked. "You're just scared to be alone with Daphne." I taunted, as we turned in the other direction, heading to the Great Hall for our meal.

"Shut it paleface", Blaise muttered, but the smile remained on his face.

As we headed to the Great Hall, I felt loads better, almost relaxed. Now that Blaise knew about Hermione and me, I wouldn't have to be as wary about it. I now had the opportunity to engage in my friends' antics without having a constant cloud over my head. I felt a small smile present on my lips.

I knew I was friends with Blaise for a reason.

VVVVV

_I was shaking, trembling, writhing in pain. _

"_Please! –" I screamed aloud, but before I could complete my sentence, the word I was most fearful of at the moment was whispered again. _

"_Crucio." _

_There were nails, small, thick iron ones gouging into my skin, drilling into my bones on their own accord. _

_Thousands of them._

_I screamed in pain again and a blood vessel in my throat popped from the pressure. I tasted blood, I was choking on it, and it was trailing out of my mouth and into my nostrils and hair, making my golden, chocolate brown tendrils streaked with red, along with my tears. _

_I was hanging upside down, magically levitated and flipped as if I was a piece of meat being cured. My clothes were torn, stained with blood and dirt. There was an enchanted rope for extra measure, wrapped around my ankles to keep me from moving. From the force of the curse, I was swaying slightly. The room I was being tortured in looked slightly familiar, as if I had been here before. It was fancy, and extremely large, monstrous portraits of pale faced, and equally pale haired people adorning its walls. It was also adorned with many antiques. A familiar table laid face up in the corner, thick chains and cuffs hanging threateningly from it. _

_So familiar. _

_However, I didn't have time to recall any thoughts of it or to recover from the pain when another cloaked, masked figure stepped up to the plate and attempted to make me scream louder than any of the others had. _

"_**Crucio**__", this one murmured, and although his voice was colder, I noticed his grey blue eyes underneath the adorned mask, but they seemed tainted, unnatural, almost demonic – _

"_No!" I wailed loudly, as the feeling returned, fiendfyre-like this time, a burn so intense that it made my blood visibly boil underneath my skin, blistering me. _

_This wasn't happening. It couldn't be him. _

_No. No way. _

_As I rotated in a full circle, helpless and still burning, I caught sight of Fenrir Greyback crouched in a corner of the dimly lit room, teeth bared, his dirty hands rubbing against one another, barely able to control himself at the sight of my blood, and the strong, bitter, metallic smell that came along with it. _

_Suddenly there was flash against my eyes and I was engrossed in my own mind, locked by the images that were emerging. _

_There was a cackle and a hiss, and multiple forearms adorned with a black, poisonous image of a snake slithering out through the mouth of a skull – A flash of green light, white hot fire – a large, vein-less, long-nailed hand placing an ivory bone, joint handled wand into a pair of trembling, pale ones – Draco's face paler than I had ever seen it, frozen in terror – _

_There was one word spoken before I saw the wand being pointed at me, before the final curse was uttered. _

"_**Granger**__", Draco said, whispering my name, his voice sounding choked and constricted. There was a harsh breath and a loud hiss swallowed his words, making him inaudible, but I watched, watched his lips move, saying a word that started with the letter 'A' and another with the letter 'K'. I was screaming. _

_There another flash of green light, this time directed at me, and before I could protest, I felt the enchanted rope give way and I fell, hurling towards the ground – _

My eyes shot open before I could hit the ground with a sickening crack, before the blood could spill out of my head. I gasped, shrieking, grasping my throat with pale white hands, begging for the air that was oh so slowly entering my windpipe. There were tears covering my pillowcase, streaming down my face, and the bloody half-mooned ridges had found their way back to their old home in my palms.

I was afraid to close my eyes again.

Stumbling, my feet pounded as I ran to my bathroom, and knelt over the toilet. I wretched and brought up sick from an empty, spinning stomach. I was sobbing now.

I was afraid.

The dreams had returned again, and this one had been the worst of them all. I couldn't myself to bring myself to comprehend it, but I knew that this was no ordinary dream, no result of fatigue or late night snacks.

This was a nightmare, worse than that even.

I didn't know what it meant.

I didn't know what time it was, or what was really going on.

I wretched again, and as I spilled my empty stomach's contents into the toilet, the hissing returned, rushing to my ears. I cried out.

_What was happening to me?_

VVVVV

Hey guys! I know it's been awhile since I've updated, I wish I could update more! I was sick today and didn't go to school, so I had some free time. Sadly, I have midterms next week, so I won't be able to update till the week after exams. Luckily, I hope this chapter can tide you over, and I also have a Dramione one-shot on my page if anyone's interested. Comments or concerns? **Feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticism!** Love to all!


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I want Draco. Too bad he's property of the lovely J.K. Rowling. But that's what my head is for! Enjoy.

Ch. 29

It was dark, and something was prodding me.

"Mate?" I heard a deep, familiar male voice say. They jabbed me in the shoulder again, and I groaned. I wished they would stop.

"Mate!" They said again, sounding a little more urgent.

_That's it_. My eyes forced themselves open crankily, and I looked up to tell them off. Still drowsy from sleep, I looked up to see my intruder.

_What the ruddy hell? _

Blaise was looking over me, his hand still against my shoulder blade from trying to prod me awake. Now I knew why that voice had sounded so familiar.

"Blaise?" I croaked. There was something off with my throat. It felt raw and scratchy, as if I was sick. Now that I thought of it, my hearing seemed a bit off as well, like I had been underwater. I looked up curiously at Blaise again. His head was bowed slightly, and he seemed to be breathing harshly.

"What's going on?" I asked him, and out of nowhere, the urge to laugh became present.

I didn't.

"I've just had to shake you awake." He replied, sarcasm hanging lightly onto his words. I smirked, propping myself onto my elbows. "And why was that?"

Blaise took in another loud breath and shook his head. He seemed as if he wanted to smirk too, and I could see the natural curve of his lips bend up faintly.

"Because you were nearly screaming your head off. Thrashing around quite a bit too." He added.

The smirk slid off of my face. I cleared my throat painfully. Well that explained a few things, didn't it?

"What?"

Blaise shrugged, but the look in his eyes showed that he was serious, and above all, concerned. He moved to the armchair a few paces away from where I was, facing me. Had I really been screaming that loudly? I had obviously been thrashing, I could tell that by the way Blaise's body was slouched against the chair, looking tired and downbeat.

"Yeah. I guess you were just having some really freaky nightmare…like the ones from the summer you used to tell me about." He muttered, his hand running over his shorn hair.

Nightmares.

During the summer, they had been hell to endure. I would have one every night, filled with screaming, torturous voices, flashes of me writhing in pain, being tortured –

But that was what happened during my days at home for the summer. Malfoy Manor was my worst fear when my father was present, and had been so since the summer after third year. Especially since the Dark Lord had decided to use our house as headquarters for all of his Death Eater's gatherings…

Blaise knew about all of this, of course. He was aware of my nightmares, the torture, everything. He knew that my father abused my mother with the Imperius curse, that he craved to see right with the Dark Lord again since failing to retrieve the prophecy during my fifth year, and attempted to do so by using me as a puppet, flailing me around for the Dark Lord's needs. Voldemort had once wanted Blaise to recruit as a Death Eater, as his mother had been linked to many powerful men, all of whom, had ended up dead. He didn't give in though.

Blaise had been given a choice, unlike me.

Although I didn't remember anything, I trusted him. I sighed, frowning. My eyes still ached from their abrupt awakening. I had thought the nightmares had disappeared. I hadn't had one since the first week of school, since I had met Hermione in the bathroom. Ever since then, the only seemingly disturbing dreams I had had were of her, but those had disappeared long ago as well, hadn't they? At the thought of her, I wondered what time it was. I looked around, for the first time since I had awoken. We were in my room. When had we gotten here?

I turned to Blaise, who was still sitting resignedly in my armchair.

"What time is it?"

"Nine twenty-three."

She would still be awake. I had the strangest urge to run to her, find her, ask her why this was happening. She knew everything, didn't she? I laughed inwardly. But how would she know? She didn't know anything about my nightmares. Blaise's eyebrow rose.

"Why are you smiling?" He wondered. I hadn't realized I had been doing so. Tentatively, I raised my fingers to my lips and traced over them. They brushed against my teeth. I must've been smiling largely.

I cleared my throat. "No reason. When did we get here?"

Blaise scoffed skeptically, but dropped the subject and answered my question. "Wow, you must not remember anything. Have you been drinking?" It must've been a rhetorical question, because he spoke again before I could shake my head no. "Well I suppose a recap is in order. After our last class, we talked about your whole little Granger issue, and then went to dinner. We came here to your room about an hour later, just to chill, and you said that you were going to put your head down because you weren't feeling well. You started murmuring and I thought you were just talking in your sleep…I was getting ready to leave when not five minutes in you started hollering your head off. You were thrashing and sweating and then you just screamed…I had to wake you up after that." He finished, and he looked so concerned that it seemed unnatural.

I shuddered. I felt guilty for letting Blaise see all of that. Although he was aware of my nightmares, that didn't mean I wanted him to witness me having one. This had happened once before, when he had stayed over at my house for a few days the summer of fifth year. He had had to call the house elf to wake me up, and I had apologized for letting him see it. My nightmares were something private.

I didn't know whether to apologize or thank him.

It was quiet for a few moments, and in the dimly lit room, I could see Blaise looking impassive in his chair. He had apparently turned the lights off before attempting to leave, and only a small lamp lit the room. I cleared my throat.

"What did I say, Blaise?"

My voice was still croaky and dry, and I regretting talking the moment I felt it.

"Sorry?"

"In the dream, I mean", I continued. "Do you remember what I said?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Oh, nothing really. For the majority of the time you just mumbled and screamed."

I let out a sigh of relief. No surprise there.

But apparently Blaise wasn't done talking. "Well…there was one thing you did say." He said, looking slightly guilty.

I nearly choked.

"What?" I said, as urgently as I could, and my voice nearly cracked again. There was strange buzzing in my ears. "What did I say?"

Blaise shrugged. "Well you said something that sounded like a name. But you were yelling – I could be mistaken…you also said something about 'not her. Please not her.' You kept repeating that."

I buried my face in my hands. There was silence again; I didn't make an effort to get rid of it.

_Not her? _

Why could I have possibly said that? I wish I could've remembered at least a sliver of the dream –

Without warning, a pang of nausea hit my stomach, and the buzzing in my ears became ever more prominent. Confused, I attempted to look at Blaise again, but I couldn't. My eyes were starting to blur over.

It was as if fire was crawling up through me, seeping through my veins, and into my throat. I heard myself hiss in pain. I bit back a moan. Maybe I had woken up too abruptly, I thought, trying to convince myself that this was normal.

But no, no, this wasn't normal at all. My fingers were trembling at the amount of pain that was mysteriously beginning to plague my body.

_What was happening?_

"Draco?" I heard Blaise call out from a few feet away, but in my position, his voice seemed oddly farther than that. "You don't look so well. Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing."

"No." I managed to reply through gritted teeth. "I'm fine, really."

The urge to grasp my stomach was beginning to become unbearable. Blaise's unnaturally concerned face returned, along with a tiny, almost invisible smirk.

"You don't seem too sure about that mate. It's probably just something you ate at dinner."

I nodded my head jerkily.

As my body heat increased, the rest of it became a blur. Something rose in my stomach, and before I could protest, I was running towards my small bathroom, and my head was plastered against the toilet seat.

I had barely managed to take a breath before I wretched horribly, bringing up acidic sick that burned my throat and made my eyes water. My whole body heaved and my hands went up to grip the base of the toilet before I vomited again. Tears were streaming out of my eyes.

Everything seemed fuzzy, uncoordinated, and somewhere farther off I could hear Blaise calling my name. After a few moments that felt like months, years even, my body had seemed to have gotten rid of whatever had been disturbing it, and I collapsed against toilet seat, panting and shuddering. I closed my eyes for a few moments, trying to will away the still slightly there pain in my now empty stomach, and the acidic taste that remained on my throat and tongue.

My mind was fuzzed, and somewhere, I could hear the prominent sound of hissing.

_Strange. _

I didn't make the effort to clean myself up when Blaise entered my bathroom, but instead, I simply looked up at him with estranged eyes. I resisted the sick urge to laugh again. I couldn't trace it either. Blaise looked down at me, tut-tutting and shaking his head, his arms deftly crossed over one another.

"Oh yeah. A visit to the Hospital Wing is _definitely_ in order."

VVVVV

I had waited till early Thursday morning to go to the Hospital Wing, so that way I wouldn't be seen or questioned.

All of the students were still in their beds, warm and drowsy, not having to wake up for classes until about two more hours. There were some teachers around, prepping for their classes, and they hadn't questioned me either.

Alone and nauseated, I walked to the Hospital Wing in the light of the dawn that shone down the halls through the stained-glass windows. My stomach quivered uncomfortably, and my hands shifted to it.

I had thought this would've gone away by now.

It had been nearly ten hours since I had gotten sick, but whatever it was, it refused to leave my body. I had tried spells, Muggle remedies, anything I could remember that cured sicknesses, but they didn't help. None of them had.

I had only managed to slightly dull the pain by taking two Muggle painkillers with a cup of tea. I frowned as my stomach went through spasms again. Trying to take my mind off of the nearly mind blowing pain, I counted the stones on the floor as I walked.

_Nearly there_, I thought determinedly.

_One, two, three…_

I wondered what Madam Pomfrey would diagnose me with. I wondered if it would be as bad as I was starting to think it was. Why hadn't I been able to figure it out myself?

_Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…_

What if I was too sick to attend classes? Or to tend to my duties as Head Girl? My stomach nearly cramped again at the thought of losing my title due to some bloody sickness. I imagined how guilty I would feel if Draco would have to take on both positions by himself until they found a suitable substitute or god forbid, replacement. I didn't like the fact that someone would have to replace me either, thus taking away the friendship Draco and I had built under such difficult circumstances.

That to me would be one of the worst parts of my resigning, and I couldn't help the indescribable, bubbling feeling of jealousy that came with the thoughts of him interacting with another Head Girl, one that wasn't me.

_Thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven…_

I hated how conceited and selfish that me sound.

However, it was the truth, and the truth was always better than the unrealistic.

That was just the way life worked, I supposed.

Before I could count sixty steps, I was standing at the doors of the Hospital Wing. I smiled, eager to get help for my ailing stomach, and I pushed open one of the large, wooden doors as silently as I could.

With the door quietly creaking to a close behind me, I surveyed the large place. It was dimly lit, only by the light of the morning, and a fire crackled in the fireplace a few meters away. It was warm in here, and cozy. My eyes rested upon Madam Pomfrey's desk, and when I saw that she wasn't there, I wondered if she, like the students, was still asleep. My stomach shifted uncomfortably at the thought of the painful wait I would have to endure before receiving medical attention.

Slowly, I walked my way into the Wing. The hospital beds were empty as it was too early for patients, and only sound in the room was the chirping of the birds outside and the crackling of the fire. I decided it would be best to check Madam Pomfrey's office, which resided at the back of the Hospital Wing.

As I walked towards the back of the spacious rooms, I surveyed the beds again, just to see if anyone was checked in. So far, by the neatness of the beds, it looked as if no one had been here in the past few days. I kept on walking, and as I did, I saw that I was mistaken.

Far off, in one of the last beds in the room laid a tall, pale boy with shockingly white blond hair.

My heart skipped a beat, and immediately, just like in class yesterday, my conscious fleeted with worry. I wished it was someone else, but the evidence was so obvious it was hard to lie to myself. It couldn't be him.

_It couldn't be. _

As strong as my urge was to run to Draco, I didn't. The pain in my stomach wouldn't allow me to. Instead, I quietly hurried over to his bed. From my view, only side of his face was visible, as his body was covered by a thick, blue fleece blanket, the top of his blonde head protruding from throw, giving him the odd look of a stuffed puppet. I stopped directly at the edge of his bed, and my fingers gripped the bedpost at the foot of his bed as I anxiously looked him over.

He seemed paler than usual, not the pure, creamy tone he usually was, but instead a blotchy white, his skin tinged with hints of purple and grey. His lips were flushed, along with his cheeks, and even when he was ill, he still managed to look incredibly attractive. I stepped closer to him, and before I knew it, his head was at level with my waist, only a few inches away.

As he slept, I took in his visage. His head had tilted slightly to the side, giving him the look of a curious, innocent, sleep ridden child. I felt a small smile creep up against my lips as I looked at him. Underneath the blanket, which was tucked underneath his chin, I could see his chest rising rhythmically with each breath that he inhaled and exhaled. His eyebrows were furrowed slightly, and I resisted the urge to smooth them out against my fingers and brush away the stray strands of blonde from his face into his already bed tousled hair. Content, I watched for a bit longer and began taking in the minor details of his features, like the way his light eyelashes dusted over his cheeks as he slept, and the way his long fingers curled slightly when they would accidentally emerge from their confines in the blanket. He had the hands of a pianist, and although it seemed odd, I somehow relished in the fact that we had something in common. Looking at his fingers brought back memories of cold winters and hot summers spent at home with my parents, where I would sit in the family room and play the piano for hours on end.

Somewhere in my subconscious, there was the need to hold his hand.

I didn't know how many minutes I stood there, just watching him. I didn't bother to count either.

All I knew was that as I looked at him, albeit asleep, he still managed to bring me comfort that I hadn't felt in days. Weeks even.

Just as I had been about to reach out and touch the blanket covering his body, my fingers nearly inches away from the fleece, Madam Pomfrey presented herself with a large and cheery greeting, breaking the barrier of peace and sensibility that I had managed to conjure while looking at the sleeping Slytherin.

"Miss Granger! Lovely to see you! Is there anything I could assist you with today?"

At the sound of her voice, I nearly jumped. I turned around to see the plump witch, relieved at the fact that I would be receiving medical help, but torn at the fact that it had cost my observation of Draco to do so. I put on a smile and turned away from Draco, also deciding to take a few steps away from him and sit on the bed beside his, so that it wouldn't look as suspicious.

"Hello, Madam Pomfrey", I greeted her. "I'm not feeling too well and I was wondering if you could maybe give me a potion for it?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded and got out her magical clipboard and quill. "It all depends on what you have my dear. What are the symptoms?"

"I got sick last night after a nightmare and I tried to sleep it off with a few Muggle aspirins and a cup of tea but I was still sick this morning. I feel really nauseous, mostly in the stomach area. It hurts when I walk as well." As I spoke, Madam Pomfrey's quill scribbled expertly onto the clipboard.

She gave me an odd look, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She might've thought I wasn't looking, but I didn't miss the furtive glance she gave Draco, who was still sleeping.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked her. She seemed worried.

Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat. "Not at all my dear! Mr. Malfoy simply had something very similar, that's all."

I could feel something block my airway. The worry had returned.

_What? _

She smiled consolingly again, obviously seeing through my façade. She could see that I was distraught. She gave me another look before glancing at Draco again, and this time her gaze was questioning. Did she think something was going on between us? In any other circumstance, I would've blushed. Attempting to be rid of the awkward silence and realization that was beginning to fill the room, she excused herself.

"One moment my dear and I'll be right back with a potion that should put you right!" And with that she turned and hurriedly walked away before disappearing into her office again. I turned to Draco again, my head swirling with thoughts. All of this seemed odd.

I wondered how the both of us had managed to catch the same bout of sickness at the same time. I wondered why Madam Pomfrey had seemed so skeptical, why she had looked from me to Draco like that. Curious to see what she had given him, I turned to his bedside table. There were three potion bottles. One read '_Mister Magic's Restful Sleeping Drought'_, and the other two were a matching set of stomach relieving liquid medicine and pills. Judging the way Draco was sleeping, it looked as if he had taken all of these. I shook my head as my fingers brushed against the bottles. If our sicknesses were so similar, then why didn't Madam Pomfrey just give us both the same remedy?

Something wasn't clicking.

I looked around and made sure Madam Pomfrey was still in her office. My eyes darted back down to the bottle of the stomach relieving pills. The pain was unbearable, and it seemed that whatever she had given Draco was working, and well.

_Very well. _

I wanted it, and I cringed at the fact that I felt like some drug abuser. But the pain was too much to think clearly, and if I didn't do something about it, and fast, I knew there would be dire consequences. I was sure that Draco and I had the same illness, so why not relieve myself as he had? Without another thought or pause, my hand stealthily reached for the small bottle of painkillers, but before the tip of my fingers could touch the bottle cap, a long, pale hand shot out from beneath the blue fleece blanket and seized my wrist.

I jumped violently at the unexpected surprise, and it had taken all that was in me not to shriek.

With his hand still tightly wrapped around my wrist, Draco looked up at me from his bed, his cheek still resting on the pillow where he had been sleeping. I wondered if he had been faking all of this time, and I felt a heated blush invade my chest and cheeks at the thought that he could've been aware of my watching him all along. His eyelashes were still dusted over his eyes, making it evident that he was still somewhat drowsy. He held my gaze for a moment, quiet all along, and as he looked me over I felt myself worry my lip. My unexpected jolt hadn't been beneficial for my stomach pains, and I could feel it increase by tenfold, along with the anxiety in my chest. Draco exhaled and his grip slackened ever so slightly. Looking up into my eyes again, his face broke out into a lazy, mischievous smirk.

"Stealthy one, aren't you Hermione?" He mused, his knowing eyes never leaving mine. They seemed to leave an imprint, making me unable to speak.

I gulped.

Why did he always manage to catch me by surprise?

VVVVV

Hey guys! So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter since it's been a bit of a wait, but good news! I'm on winter break right now, so I'll be able to write more often! Any suggestions or comments on the pace of the story? Please feel free to let me know! **Reviews, ideas, and constructive criticism are most welcomed!** Thanks for reading! Love to all!


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my dear little plot!

Ch. 30

"And why exactly were you going to be named Scorpius?" I asked Draco, laughing lightly.

It had been only one of our most random conversations that we had ever had while sitting, sick to our stomachs in the Hospital Wing. After catching me by surprise, Draco had feigned sleep again while Madam Pomfrey gave me a dosage of pain relieving pills for my stomach. I had also been given a horrid potion to drink, so vile that it made me think of Goblin piss. Sadly, to my discontent, I hadn't been able to steal any of Draco's pills either.

"Because", he stated, rolling his eyes comically, "That was my grandfather's name." He smirked, and I had the urge to throw that bottle of his pills at him.

"I thought your grandfather's name was Abraxas?"

Draco shook his head. "Great-grandfather, actually."

I nodded and took another gulp of the horrid potion. "My great-grandmother's name was Marie", I winced. Draco grinned mischievously and raised his brows.

"Are you wincing at the potion or the name?" He asked, obviously reeling in happiness at my discontent. I glared at him.

"Which do you think? And hey, no poking fun at that name! It was going to be mine! Start poking fun at any of my family members' names, and I'll go around calling you Scorpius in public."

Draco spluttered incoherently whilst taking a drink of water. "You made fun of mine! And Scorpius is an exceptional name! When I have children –"

But he didn't have a chance to complete his sentence, because I had stopped him there. I felt my gaze soften and something warm fluttered in my chest. Draco Malfoy, the git, the biggest prat in all of Hogwarts, wanted kids? It sounded as much of a dream as I had imagined it, and as I looked at him, my head brought up images of little blonde-haired children running about.

Draco saw the look on my face and returned my gaze with a look of confusion blended in with a grimace. "What's wrong with _you_?" He asked. He had obviously never seen someone with a look of compassion on their face before. I didn't answer the question.

"You want kids?" I heard myself ask him, but it was more of a murmur than a question. As I brought up the subject, I saw a flash of a smile cross his face, and as rarely as they came, this smile reached his eyes. Suddenly, the room was beginning to become unbearably warm.

"Yeah", Draco answered, and the smile crept upwards again. "Yeah I do."

I smiled back, and there was a long, peaceful silence. I looked down at my comforter, and began picking at all of the loose strands that I could find. He cleared his throat after a minute or two.

"You?" He asked.

"What?"

"Do you want children as well?"

"Oh!" I smiled, and suddenly I was nervous. "Someday, yes." At one point, I had imagined the little redheaded children that I could have, but that hope had vanished long ago. Now the children I imagined were just blank little canvases, waiting for someone to give them features. Draco leaned back into his bed, and his head hit the pillow with a small 'poof'.

"And what will you name them?" He asked me, before yawning tiredly. With his hooded eyes and relaxed demeanor, I wondered if he would fall asleep while I was talking.

It was a good question, and I pondered for a moment. I realized that I didn't even know. While growing up, I had never been one of those girls to sit with other females and chat of how their futures lives would be, playing games where they would pick the names of their children, which houses they would own, or what type of career their husband would have.

"No idea. But isn't it a bit early to be thinking about all this? We have our whole lives ahead of us, and having a child early –"

"Merlin's pants, Hermione! Did you honestly think that I was insinuating that we have children now? – "

"Am I interrupting something?" A deep, drawling voice said from the entrance of the Hospital Wing. I turned, along with Draco, and gasped.

Blaise was smirking against the structure of the door, but that wasn't the shocking part. What was surprising was that Ginny was standing right beside him.

"Ginny?" I proclaimed aloud, and she came rushing over to me, her pretty red hair flying at her speed. I hadn't seen her since the night of the ball – and being too afraid, I had been dodging her this whole time. She zoomed past Draco as if he wasn't there – I saw him scowl slightly – and rushed over to my bed.

"Hermione! Oh my God, are you all right? As soon as I heard you were here, I practically ran over!" Ginny exclaimed, and her face flushed with worry. I smiled at her. As guilty as I felt for ignoring her, she was making it seem as if it had never happened, and I appreciated that more than she would ever know.

"Thanks Ginny and I'm doing alright." I waved the small cup of potion at her and she laughed. "I've had company."

Ginny only grinned, before glancing at Draco, who was now talking calmly to Blaise, and then back at me. "Oh I'm sure you have."

I blushed, but before I could protest, a thought popped into my head. "How did you know I was here, Ginny?" I asked her. After all, we hadn't spoken in days. Rolling her eyes, Ginny jerked her head in Blaise's direction.

"A little birdie told me."

Blaise grimaced. "Can't you use any other example than _little birdie_? For example, a snake or maybe –"

"Ferret?" I suggested, before meeting eyes with Draco. He sneered, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Just drink your potion." He muttered, crossing his arms.

"Good one!" Ginny snickered, and we exchanged high fives. Even Blaise couldn't help but chuckle. There was a beat of pleasant hush, until Blaise piped up again.

"So when we walked in, if I'm not mistaken, you two were talking about children? You two must be really sick if you're going to share heartfelt things like that." He snorted.

"Well maybe we just ran out of conversation topics! And besides, we're friends." Draco protested, and I fought the urge to beam. The fact that he actually acknowledged our friendship made me want to hug him.

"Still getting used to that, you too red?" Blaise asked Ginny. She shrugged nonchalantly. Ginny didn't really care if we wanted to be friends, she had only told me to be careful. Because of Draco's previous actions and attitude towards her family and Harry, Ginny still held a small grudge against him, but with my help, she was getting over it. People could change. Surely she knew that! Her own brother…

I shushed the thought almost immediately – I didn't need to think of Ron.

"Anyways, on the subject of kids, have you told her what you want to name your daughter, Draco?" Blaise inquired mischievously, and Draco flushed lightly. He shot him a warning look.

"Shut it, Blaise", was all he said, before taking a large drink of water. Ginny smirked at his embarrassment. I, however, who had actually been extremely curious to hear his answer, slumped back into my sheets.

"When I have children, –"

"Oi! No one wants to hear about what you're going to do with the Boy Wonder! Seeing you snogging him around the grounds is quite enough, thank you." Blaise muttered, interrupting what would've been an extremely joyful moment of fantasy for Ginny. She glared darkly at him.

"I could say the same thing about you and Daphne Greengrass." Ginny said calmly, before flipping her hair over her shoulder. At once, Blaise's demeanor changed, going from pompous and sarcastic to slightly uncomfortable. Draco glanced at Ginny reproachfully.

"Enough, the both of you. Is it not time for lunch? Go bicker elsewhere." He sighed, and his head sunk deeper into his pillow. Draco seemed too exhausted to put up with nonsense. I didn't blame him, he looked even more ill than me at the moment; and he lacked the fervent wit that he always had. Ginny and Blaise looked at one another before getting up.

"You're right Draco. After all, you need your rest and this one", Blaise pointed a finger at Ginny, "is certainly keen on not letting either of you have it." Before Ginny could object, Blaise pulled her along. "Come on red, looks like its naptime for these two."

He had managed to steer Ginny halfway towards the exit before she called out. "Bye Hermione! We'll talk later!" She said urgently, before her figure disappeared through the large oak doors. I could still hear their bickering even after they had exited the Wing.

Draco chuckled. "Looks like Blaise has made a new friend", he commented, and I nodded dozily. Seeing Draco curled up in his covers like that had made me start to welcome sleep as well. We didn't talk for a few minutes, until we heard the great clock by the astronomy tower strike twelve. Suddenly, I gasped, and Draco jumped at the sudden noise.

"What?" He asked incredulously, and by the look on his face it seemed that he thought I had been having some sort of attack.

"It's nearly Christmas, Draco!" I exclaimed, and a smile stretched my tired face. It was true. Christmas break was only a week and a half away, and with all of the issues that I had been having, I had been too ignorant to acknowledge it. Not that I had had the time to, really. Draco scoffed softly from his bed, and I turned to him.

"So? What's your point?"

"It's the holidays! Don't you just love it? Think about it Draco, Christmas carols, gifts, spending time with family? What's not to adore?" Christmas had always been my favorite holiday. I got to see my parents again, spend time with family and old friends. Everybody was always happy around Christmastime!

_Weren't they?_

But he only shrugged nonchalantly.

"I dunno."

Curiously, I propped my head up against my hand and balanced on my elbow. "Well what _are _your plans then?" I asked. Draco glanced at me, his silvery eyes looking oddly blank before he returned his stare to the high ceiling above him.

"That's a good question. Usually I spend the Christmas break with Blaise, and then spend the last few days with my mother, but Blaise is going on vacation to Switzerland with his mum this year, and I'm not quite in the mood to go home. Perhaps I'll just spend Christmas here, at Hogwarts." He answered, and the way he said these things were so blanched of feeling that I stared at him in awe. The way he could disconnect his emotions from some things was quite overwhelming at times. I wondered if he sounded that way because he was simply drowsy, but I knew that wasn't the case.

"You don't mean…alone, do you?" I ploughed on, and he laughed, but it sounded bitter in my ears.

"Of course I do, Granger."

I bit my lip, not just out of pity that he would be spending Christmas alone, but because he had retreated to my surname again. I had learned that he did this when too many questions were brought up, ones he couldn't handle with a witty remark or smirk. I didn't call him out on it; for fear that he would go back into his shell and not share anything with me again. I didn't ask why he didn't want to go back home for the holidays either.

Upon seeing the shattered look on my face, Draco turned to me and laughed flippantly.

"Don't worry about me, Granger. How bad could it be? Christmas is just another day like any other. Hogwarts suits me just fine." He shot me a small smile, but I only saw a façade. "You know, sometimes you're just too damn sympathetic."

Worrying my lip, I clutched onto my pillow. It was true, I was. But that didn't change the fact that it was upsetting to hear about anyone being alone at a time that required family and friends. Here at Hogwarts, Draco wouldn't be able to laugh or play or bake; silly, frivolous things that came with the holidays. He would be missing out, and instead, be sitting here alone.

"But no one deserves to be alone during the holidays!" I protested.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well what do you want me to do? For the last time Granger, I'll be fine –"

"You can come stay with me!" I blurted out, before I could comprehend what I had said. There was an odd moment of silence before Draco's eyes met mine, looking incredulous.

"You're not serious?" He said, and he seemed as if he wanted to laugh at my rabid outburst. I sat up slightly, and my eyes darted to my covers. Draco was still staring at me in disbelief. I felt stupid. Why had I even suggested it?

For a moment, it had been as if Draco wasn't who I thought he was, some bigoted prat against Muggleborns, but apparently I had been wrong. The old opinion that he had was still present, and I wondered why he was even talking to me in the first place.

"Well, I thought we were friends, so I just…um…thought that maybe you would want to. But it's _you_, so obviously you would rather spend your Christmas here and alone rather than with a bunch of Muggleborns. Just forget I said anything." I stuttered. I went to burrow myself underneath my covers when he stopped me.

"Wait. It's not that, Hermione." Draco said quietly. As hard as it was, I managed to look at him again. "It's just surprising that you would even _want_ me to spend Christmas with you. It's just hard for me to imagine, you know? But it's got nothing to do with you or your family being Muggleborn, at least not now anyways. If you had asked me any other year, I probably would've hexed you. It's certainly better than being alone." He admitted, and I laughed quietly. I turned to him again, happy that he hadn't shunned or blatantly declined my offer.

I tucked a stray curl behind my ear before answering him again. "Well the offer's still up…that is if you're interested, of course." I looked down at my hands, and as I did, I wasn't surprised to see that they were shaking.

Draco gazed at me silently, a grim smile adorning his face. "I'll think about it", he said quietly, and his tone was appreciative. I nodded, and my head hit my pillow once more, leaving the topic to rest. After many minutes, when sleep finally began to overcome my body, I spoke again.

"Hey, Draco?" I murmured, my fingers tracing patterns into the comforter.

"Yeah?"

"Blaise said that you had a name in mind if you had a daughter…what _would_ you name her?"

I listened closely for signs that Draco would not answer me as he shifted in his bed. There was a slight pause, and then my eyes met his. He was staring into nothingness, his silvery blue eyes looking strangely clouded and filled with emotion. For a moment I wondered if the question had been too intrusive. Draco beamed quietly.

"Oh. Maia", he answered, smiling faintly, as if the name was a gentle rose petal between his lips. Draco's eyes met mine again and nodded. "Maia", he repeated, this time a bit more curtly.

Caught by surprise that he had chosen such a beautiful name, I nodded drowsily and turned in my bed, so that my back was to his half upright form.

"That's a lovely name", I whispered, but I didn't know if he had heard me or not. Making sure that Draco couldn't see, I pressed my face into my sheets, so that he wouldn't catch the large smile that refused to leave my face.

VVVVV

Hey guys! So the story is officially thirty chapters in! And to think I wanted this story to have a thirty chapter limit! Psssh. I hope you all had a lovely Holiday! This is my late Holiday present to you! Love you all, and thanks for keeping up with the story and giving me delicious reviews! More please? I am now accepting ideas for this story, so if there is anything you'd like to see, let me know and I will consider putting it in! If it does make it in, I will make sure that you receive credit for it as well. **Feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticism! **Love to all!


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter! But I'm glad that J.K. Rowling does, because it wouldn't be as amazing if anyone else did!

Ch. 31

When I had woken up in the Hospital Wing, Draco had already left. He had even abandoned the tray of lunch that Madam Pomfrey had set up for him.

I had followed his example.

As soon as I was up, I slid out of bed and stumbled sleepily off to my next class. It was about two in the afternoon, which meant I would be able to catch my last couple of classes. I had, and fortunately, Draco wasn't in them. I figured it would be too awkward seeing him again after we had spent so much time together already. They were the only two classes that I didn't have with him, which were Arithmancy and Defense against the Dark Arts.

Unfortunatley, Harry was in the latter of the two, and as I sat down in my seat, I caught him staring at me. He seemed guilty, and as my eyes met his, he mouthed something.

"_Later_", was all he said, and it was all he got the chance to say before the class began.

Ten minutes into the class, my mind began to wander. I wondered whether it was because it was the last class of the day, or because I had possibly taken too many pills, or if I was simply distracted because I was wondering what Harry could possibly want to say to me. I stole another glance at him, and saw that he was obediently reading the sixteen pages that we had been assigned on Acromantula poison and the benefits it provides for Dark Magic – as a matter of fact, it seemed that everyone was reading, and that I out of all people was not.

It wasn't as if I hadn't tried. Many times I had attempted to even get past the second paragraph, but each time I would end up reading the same sentence repeatedly! I groaned inwardly and looked around. Something was off with the classroom, or more likely, the class.

'_Well Draco isn't here.'_ I thought. But that wasn't any type of excuse! He had never even been enrolled in this class!

It irked me that I didn't know what class he was in. On any other day it wouldn't have seemed important, but today was different. Today, it appeared as if I _needed_ him in my presence to focus. Turning back to my book, I brushed away the stupid, unethical thought and attempted to get past the first sentence.

I had been spending _way_ too much time with that boy.

VVVVV

Divination class seemed different today, and I couldn't quite put a finger on it as to why.

I couldn't focus.

I looked around the classroom as Professor Trelawney blabbed on about some ridiculous Seer that she admired. After being in the Hospital Wing for several hours, dozed up on pills, I honestly didn't give a rat's fart about who she admired, or what she was planning on teaching us.

I had left the Hospital Wing before Hermione had, and she had still been sleeping on my way out. I had planned to stay longer –to miss classes of course– but she had done something that I hadn't been able to bear.

She had…sighed. In her sleep.

I shut my eyes at the thought, hoping that I could will it away.

It wasn't the fact that she had sighed that I found unsettling.

It was the way she had done it. As I remembered, goose bumps emerged on my forearms. It had been more of a moan, really. As I had been getting out of my bed, getting ready to haul out of the Hospital Wing before Madam Pomfrey could stop me, Hermione had begun to shift in her bed. Of course, I hadn't really paid it any attention, as it was a perfectly normal thing to do, but then she began to make…noises.

They weren't very loud, they were actually quite faint, and it sounded as if she was talking in her sleep. As I looked at her, I saw that her body had turned to me and that she was hugging her pillow. Her lips were parted slightly, and the covers had shifted, revealing the dramatic curve of her hips, her hair sprawled about the pillow like some curly lioness halo. I would've laughed if I hadn't caught the look on her face first.

Hermione looked peaceful. There weren't really any other words to describe it – and watching her sleep seemed to give me the tranquil buzz that was emerging from her. It was strange, looking at her that way.

_The_ Hermione Granger, proud Gryfinndor know it all, peacefully asleep.

I laughed at the thought. It had seemed that all power she had while she was awake had no effect whilst she slept. Awake, Hermione was different. She was strong, passionate, and domineering.

Asleep? She seemed to be a completely different person. She seemed innocent and weak, and I had had to try my hardest not to reach out and brush away stray curls from her face. As much as I didn't want to admit it, she was even lovelier when she slept.

That was the least of my problems though. When Hermione had turned to face me, a sigh had emerged from her lips. It was lighter than a breath, but it had still managed to unnerve me. It was nearly a moan, and I had had to turn and walk out of the Hospital Wing for fear that it would grow.

I bit my lip.

What could have possibly been so intriguing about her today? Besides the fact that we had talked about sentimental things, subjects I would've never even have imagined us talking about – like children, for example!

And then she had asked me to spend the holidays with her!

I didn't know why, but I wished that I could've found it preposterous. But…I had actually appreciated it. More than she knew.

It wasn't that I didn't want to spend the holidays with my mother.

It's that I was scared to.

Since my father had been privately escorted –carted off, really– to Azkaban, Voldemort hadn't bothered to re-enter our home. The Manor had stayed quiet, and only my mother had remained, along with her favorite House Elf, Missy. I had offered to stay with her, but the moment my supplies letter had come from Hogwarts, she had ruled out my proposition completely. No matter what situation mother was in, she never wanted me to miss school.

'_A Malfoy needs to be educated'_, she would say.

The only reason I could sleep at night –albeit not very well – was because I knew my mother was in no harm whatsoever, and because she was no longer under my father's Imperius curse.

When she was under the curse, she was nothing like the mother I knew, rather a lifeless, obedient, puppet. I hated my father for it, and she often had trouble remembering things in the aftermath.

Not anymore, I thought, and a satisfactory smirk occupied my mouth. The bastard was where he belonged now, in a cold, grimy cell surrounded by Dementors. He might've been my father, but that sure as hell didn't mean he had been a good one.

A nudge in the ribs snapped me out of my thoughts, and instead, I was greeted by the slightly scowling face of Blaise.

"Oi! Will you watch what you're doing and stop smiling mate? Trelawney's crazy bum is just a few tables away, and we still haven't prepared which grim we're going to present!" He whispered frantically. Divination was Blaise's worst subject, as he was constantly busy playing the class clown, but now that his grade was in dire condition, he was taking no chances. Looking down at the large book in front of me, I hurriedly pointed to a random grim that I thought looked satisfactory.

"There. Happy?" I replied sarcastically, somewhat angry that Blaise had jumbled my train of thought. But he didn't reply. Instead, he smirked, his eyes glued to where my finger was pointing on the book.

"A lion huh? Well Draco, it seems that maybe you've been spending a little _too_ much time with certain Gryfinndor." Blaise mused. I rolled my eyes.

What did Hermione have to do with anything?

"Don't worry about who I spend my time with! And what the bloody hell are you talking about? What have lions got to do with anything?" I hissed. Professor Trelawney was getting closer, and now even I was starting to become panicky. Quite a shame it was, the feeling a crazy, tiny, largely bespectacled woman could give you when the fate your grade rested in her bony little hands. Blaise however, had suddenly become unfazed, and was lazily glancing down at my finger on the page again.

"On the page, Draco", he drawled. "Look at the lovely little grim you've decided we'll talk about."

"Blaise, you've got to be kidding me!" I retorted. Here he was, going on about some stupid little lion when I had obviously chosen the Chimaera! "Oh for Christ's sakes Blaise, if you would just use your bleeding eyes –"

But as I looked down at where my finger was located on the page, I saw that Blaise had been right. Pressing into the parchment, my finger had landed on a small picture of a roaring red lion instead of finding the Chimaera just inches away from it. I stared at it for a moment. It was awfully similar to the Gryfinndor lion, and I fought to blush from embarrassment. I could practically hear Blaise smirk.

"Told you", he insisted, before turning and whispering across the room to Dean Thomas, demanding that he give him any and all of the information that he knew about Chimaeras. I shrugged and looked around the room. At least Blaise was only joking.

Before I could say anything to him, my eyes came into contact with Pansy, who was sitting forlornly across the room with a few of her friends who had gotten partnered up with the Patil twins. I felt guilt surge into my stomach as I gazed at her. She looked wan, and her long dark hair hung around her face like a silky curtain. Pansy was still obviously distraught because of what I had done, and I…

I felt…_bad_.

It was a strange feeling, and I was still getting adjusted to it. Not once, other than this year, had I ever felt bad for _anyone_. Not even myself. I had been able to shut down my compassion, my pity, and most of all, my emotion. And it had proven effective until I had come into contact with a curly haired, perpetually positive _Gryffindor_. I sighed and took my eyes off of Pansy, and instead glanced down at the little lion on the page.

_Bloody Hell. _

VVVVV

As soon as class had ended, I found Harry at my side.

"Can we talk?" He asked, and I merely nodded. As upset as I was by his behavior, that didn't mean I wasn't curious in what he had to say. I walked down the corridor ahead of him until we came into a secluded corner far off from newly released classes.

"What?" I rounded on him. My glare must have been monstrous, for Harry seemed sheepish. I watched as he exhaled and shifted a bit, and waited for him to speak.

"Right. Well…Ginny had told me you were in the Hospital Wing, so I had gone up there to talk to you, but I was too late." Harry paused.

I rolled my eyes. Was this really all he was going to say?

"And?" I urged, crossing my arms, something I had quite the tendency to do when I was upset or disappointed. I caught the slightest smirk grace Harry's features.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I turned exasperatedly to walk away from him, but Harry caught my arm, and before I could even protest, he spoke again.

"Listen, Hermione. I know you're upset at Ron and me –"

"Ronald has got nothing to do with this!" I hissed, attempting to yank my arm out of his grip, but he was stronger than me. '_All that damned Quidditch'_, I cursed inwardly.

"Fine", Harry continued calmly. "But will at least accept my apology? I'm sorry. For everything."

"Oh that's really rich, Harry! Does that include badmouthing Draco, even after I tried to convince you that he had changed? You didn't even make an effort to believe me!" I spat bitterly. I had finally managed to release my arm from his hold. Actually, he had let me go. Harry sighed, and the guilt on his face alone nearly made me want to forgive him.

_No_, I thought harshly. I wouldn't forgive Harry until he proved he meant what he saying.

"Yes. I'm sorry for that too. But you've got to understand why I acted like that, Hermione. Six years of torment and all of a sudden you're friends with the perpetrator? It just…sounded really strange, especially since Malfoy's all caught up with the Darker Cause –"

So that's what this was all about? A rivalry between what and who Harry thought was on our side? It seemed understandable, but Harry could've been a bit more lenient with Draco. Although I barely knew anything about Draco's past, that didn't mean he wasn't a good person. If he had been involved in anything, he had _certainly_ been forced into it.

That you could tell just by looking at him.

_And from the dreams I had been having…_

No, no, those were nothing, only coincidences.

"Forgive me Harry, but it seems you've got your Hero cap on." I replied dryly.

Harry only smiled grimly. "Don't I always?"

I paused for a moment. I wanted to choose my words carefully. "We're friends, Harry. And I'm not going to change that because of your assumptions. Besides, even if Draco was bad, do you honestly think I'd let him get the best of me? I'm always on guard." I assured him.

I smirked tiredly. Had Harry ever stopped to think that I had thought of all these doubts? I had, and I had chosen to store them in the back of my head. But now these bad thoughts of Draco were slowly fading, and at the rate our friendship was going, I suspected they wouldn't stay for long.

Not at all.

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but I continued. "He's a good person. I'm sorry that you can't see that. Hopefully you will one day."

Harry ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. "Hermione, everyone has a good side and a bad one. I know that you've gotten Ginny predominantly on your side, but you've still got to think about this. I've been trying to tell Ginny that as well –"

"Do you doubt your own girlfriend, then?" I asked. I knew that Harry trusted Ginny so much that he could never doubt her or her actions, but he had always remained cautious of everything around her. He loved her too much to let her get hurt. It was one of the things I most admired about Harry.

"Of course not Hermione, but I don't want her _or _you getting hurt! That's why I'm so wary of him! Not out of dislike, but because I want you two to be _safe_. I'll be damned if I'd let anyone hurt any of my friends." Harry replied firmly, and his green eyes sparked with defiance.

It seemed that he was finally getting to me, because I could feel the harsh lines on my face soften. I appreciated him, of course I did! I just wanted him to let me make my own decisions.

"You know I love you Harry, don't you? You're like brother to me. You're my best friend. And I know you love me and Ginny. But you've got to understand that I'm going to make my own decisions. You can't protect me from the things you think are unreasonable. I'm going to be friends with Draco. The only thing I can promise you is that I will be careful." I said, and I reached out for Harry's hand. It was warm in mine, and I gave him a small, reassuring squeeze.

"I know. I'm sorry, Hermione. It's your decision." Harry admitted, and I could've kissed him for it. Catching the smile on my face, he hurried on. "But that doesn't mean I won't be watching you two, and if I see anything sketchy, you're going to be hearing from me."

I nodded and before Harry could say another word, I hugged him, hard. Harry laughed, and before I could stop it, I beamed. "Thanks, Harry", I murmured against his robes. He chuckled.

"Right." We broke apart and Harry looked down at me. "I know you probably don't want to be reminded of him, but do you want to know how Ron's been doing?" Harry asked quietly. I bit my lip and winced at the bitter taste that had entered my mouth when his name had been spoken.

"No." I replied harshly. "Why should I care? Ron made it clear that he didn't want to be friends…or anything, really." I sighed. I felt something prick my eyes.

"He'll get over it", Harry tried to reassure me by putting a hand on my shoulder. He knew how heartbreak felt. Last year when Ginny had dated Dean Thomas, Harry had been nearly inconsolable, not properly speaking to anyone for weeks. But he had her now, and I had…

I had Draco. But that wasn't romantic. It was strangely platonic and fragile. He was there for me if I was there for him. It was a gain and get relationship, in a way, and sometimes filled with friendly moments where I believed we could be getting close to becoming…close. But how, when we were so tentative on sharing information about ourselves to one another? It was complicated and best left unspoken. And to think that it had all started by researching kisses…

I _could _have Dean. He was sweet and confident and smart, and most importantly, he seemed interested in me. But every time I was with him, there seemed to be something he lacked.

"He'll get over her and realize he was wrong", Harry muttered. Somehow he had ended up stroking my hair.

Sylvia? She was just another Lavender – no, much less than that. Lavender was a really good friend of mine now. She was pretty, fun to be around, and could actually hold herself in a decent conversation. She was smarter than she looked. But Sylvia? She was nothing but a daft, conniving, rabid bimbo, and everyone knew it.

What Ron saw in her, I would never know. A feral thought swirled through my head, and I felt the urge to convulse. I wondered if Sylvia had taken Ron's virginity.

Perhaps she had. After all, Sylvia was known for being a slag, and she definitely would've wanted to sleep with Ron. I wondered if he had finally given it up. I hoped not, especially not to a person like her, but given the girl's reputation, I couldn't help but fear it.

During a late night of heart to hearts with Ginny, Lavender, the Patil twins, and myself, an attention hungry, slightly tipsy Lavender had given us the information that I knew now. Lavender had long broken up with Ron by then and she had revealed that he had been too hesitant to do anything but grope or snog her.

"_He's like a baby!"_ Lavender's voice flooded through my ears, her high, girly voice tittering. _"I mean, he's lovely, you know? Always so nice and sweet, but he was just too timid for me! It was like he was scared to break me or something…" _

At the time, I had quietly relished in the fact that Ron was gentle, and as stupid as I had been, fantasized that he would be gentle with me when we would one day be together. Of course, that dream had shattered into irreversible pieces as soon as he had met that petite, flirtatious, annoying little swat. I despised her for taking my fantasy away, and most of all, for denying me of Ron, whether he wanted to be romantic with me or not. I had thought we were leading up to something. He could've made me happy.

"He cares about _you_." Harry murmured, pulling me close again. As hard as he was trying to reassure me, each time, his attempt would be thwarted by a vision of a small, dark-haired girl crawling all over a tall, familiar, ginger boy.

"She's nothing compared to you, Hermione. Ron _will_ see that." Harry continued.

"Sure he will", I muttered in response. But the giant inkling in my chest confirmed he wouldn't, and if he did, it would be well too late.

VVVVV

Hey guys! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. This one was a tad bit sad for Hermione; she's starting to go back to her slump! But not to worry, Draco will be there to save the day, and spend more time with his lovely Gryffindor! At least not she's made up with Harry and Ginny, so she has some of her friends back before Christmas comes around! And whatever shall we do with Dean? **Feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticisms! **They make me so happy, and if you have any questions, please let me know! I hope you all had a great and happy New Year, 2011!


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Without the lovely J.K. Rowling, there wouldn't be Hermione, Draco, Ginny, Blaise, Harry, or any other characters for this story! Scary thought, huh?

Ch. 32

"Alright, mate?" Blaise asked me at dinner.

I didn't blame him for asking. I had been horribly sick earlier, and now I was barely eating anything. I sighed and began to draw shapes into my mashed potatoes. I wasn't so hungry, but I knew I would have to eat something. I had skipped lunch as well!

"I'm alright", I responded, taking a swig of pumpkin juice and a sliver of chicken to convince Blaise, who had been warily eyeing my extremely full plate with apprehension. "Why?"

He took a moment to swallow before answering back. Blaise glanced down at my untouched food again. "Because you've barely touched your plate, that's why."

I shrugged. "I'm fine, just not hungry."

It was true, I wasn't. Today was _not_ my day. Waking up to a stomach fever, ending up in the Hospital Wing with Hermione for several hours talking about sentimental nonsense, and then seeing Pansy looking as downtrodden as could be, and all on my part?

Yeah, today definitely hadn't been great.

Well, being with Hermione had been the least worrisome. We were friends now, after all, and talking to her seemed to make almost every negative thought leave my head. While I had been there, talking to her about life after Hogwarts, I'd felt normal.

Like I didn't have a Death Eater father and a weak yet loving mother, or that I had any affiliation with Voldemort whatsoever. I shook my head lightly. Blaise had turned to Theodore Nott to talk about our upcoming Quidditch match, which would occur a week after term resumed following Christmas break. A small smile emerged on my face, more for me than anyone else.

_Quidditch. _I hadn't gotten to play since the summer, and my urge to get back onto a broom was starting to become unbearable. A moment passed, and I was glad I hadn't been drinking, because my smile had turned into a small laugh at how perverted that sounded. No one noticed. I became serious again within seconds, and decided to tune into Blaise's and Nott's conversation.

"– can't believe we've got to have night practices!"

"Of course we do, Blaise. You know Gryffindor's are too _scared _to play in the dark. Potter and his team have already claimed all of the daytime slots, and if we're going to win the match against them, we're going to have to deal with night shifts."

"But maybe if we talked to McNair –"

Nightshifts? Gryffindor? This was all new information to me, and my stomach swirled in anticipation. They never usually announced who we would play against until a week prior! Only the captains were supposed to be aware, and it seemed that McNair had done a bad job of keeping it private. I smirked, wondering if Potter had told some of his crew as well. Of course, he had probably told Weasley, their keeper. He would have a hard time avoiding Blaise and the others. Blaise was well on his way to becoming a professional Chaser!

I glanced over at the Gryfinndor tables, surveying which players I knew would be playing for sure. Potter of course, being team Captain and Seeker, would definitely be present, fighting me for the snitch, Dean Thomas, Weasley, and –

My thoughts stopped when I saw Hermione's curly hair obscure my vision. She was sitting at the table besides Harry and Ginny, the Weasel nowhere to be found. Apparently she had reconciled with the couple. Knowing Hermione, she probably wanted nothing to do with Weasley, especially after what he done to her –

I paused in surprise as red hot anger coursed through my head. I gripped my fork tightly, and it trembled against the plate. What was happening?

I needed to calm down, I assured myself.

Hermione seemed perfectly fine at the moment, and she laughed at something Potter said, along with Ginny, before daintily taking in a forkful of mash potatoes. Still looking at her, I willed myself to relax. What had just happened scared me. I had gotten angry when she had told me what the ginger had done, but not like…not like this.

No, definitely not. The anger I had felt this time was almost so unbearable that I had wanted to find Ron and pummel him into the ground. I wasn't usually this violent, either. Before I could look away from her table, Hermione glanced over at me. She was nearly across the room, and how she had sensed my gaze on her, I did not know. Hermione stared at me for a moment, and I watched as the laugh faded away from her face, being replaced with a small smile.

My fingers tensed underneath the table. What was she doing? Neither Hermione nor I had ever acknowledged any encounters in the Great Hall, or anywhere else for that matter, except on two occasions. Once when I had blatantly carried her off of the grounds and into the Hospital Wing – but how couldn't I have, it was my fault she had gotten hurt – and the other more recently, an accidental slipup whilst passing notes in class. But that had been my fault too, really.

I looked over at Hermione again and saw that her gaze hadn't left mine. She smiled again, but this time, as her fingers went up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, they made the slightest wave in my direction.

I didn't dare wave back, for hers had been so discreet, half of her fingers still woven within her hair – that I was sure I certainly wouldn't be able to pull it off nearly as well as she had. Plus, I was sitting at a table of Slytherins, and waving at a Gryffindor – Hermione especially – across the hall would just seem _too_ odd. Instead, I settled her with a smirk, and before I could see her reaction, turned back to Blaise and Nott.

"What's this I hear about night shifts?" I asked, but as they both began to explain, I was only able to catch a few of their words. I began to think about Hermione, and why she had thought it would be a good idea to wave at me in a Hall full of students. It wasn't as if I hadn't enjoyed it, it had been a nice gesture, and almost…

_Flirtatious? _

I glanced back to her again, but only for a second. By now, Hermione had resumed conversation with her friends, as if nothing had happened at all. It was strange, and I wondered if she had realized how flirty her gesture had been –

'_No, Draco she was just being herself as usual, you're taking it the wrong way –'_

But I knew a flirty move when I saw one. Countless girls had given me waves like that, and not just out of common greeting or politeness. And the whole hair thing, had that been intentional as well?

Now I was just being paranoid, I told myself. Hermione would never see me that way; after all, we were only friends. At that thought, I pushed away the heavy weight in my chest. I was no longer paying attention to Blaise and Nott, and they had realized that and gone back to their conversation again. Instead, my eyes found Hermione once more, and as I stared at her, I thought about why the feeling in my chest told me that being just friends with her seemed like it wasn't enough.

VVVVV

"But why didn't you come to me? Why didn't you think you could talk to me about it?" Ginny asked, and her voice sounded even more constricted than mine. I had just told her the whole story of the ball, and everything that had happened that night.

"Don't you think I wanted to? Ginny, I was too embarrassed –"

"I know that! But still, the fact that you were all alone in this…it's so _sad_, Hermione. Even Harry didn't know what to do with himself, and he nearly tore Ron to shreds after you ran out."

Appreciation flooded into me at Harry's actions on my behalf. I wanted to smile, but after all, Ginny was Ron's sister, and I didn't want her getting the wrong idea. Surprisingly, she was smiling even larger than I had been planning to.

"He did?" I murmured, and I couldn't restrain the quiver of my lips. Ginny beamed with satisfaction.

"Well of course he did! Gave him quite the verbal treatment. I've never seen Harry curse so much in a few sentences. . . I practically had to drag him out when Sylvia entered the room again –"

Mid smile, the bitterness in my voice from earlier returned. "You shouldn't have. That way she could've seen what a jerk she's dating." I scoffed. Ginny laughed.

"Now that I think of it, yeah I shouldn't have. And dating?" Ginny snorted. "They're definitely not dating, at least not at the moment anyways. They're more…

"Casually _fucking_?" I suggested.

"Well let's just say that she's another Lavender. Good Christ, that girl is probably covered in a thousand diseases! Merlin's beard…"

"Agreed, I muttered, before getting up from my bed and walking over to the window. It was paned with bronze, and had a clear view of the grounds and the lake. Whenever I was upset or needed to think, I always ended up by the window. My bed creaked as Ginny shifted.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help but feel my eyes burn as I thought of Ron and Sylvia together. Why I cared? Too many reasons to count.

"Hermione?" Ginny piped up quietly from my bed. I turned to her, and I looked away as I saw her face soften at my tear-filled eyes. She sighed, before getting up from the bed and making it across the room to me, embracing me in a warm, comforting hug. As Ginny held me, her perfume wafted from her hair into my nostrils, and I sniffed deeply, trying to inhale as much the soothing floral scent as I could.

"Oh, Hermione. Please – whatever you do – _don't _cry over my brother. He's really not worth your tears, and neither is she."

I laughed thickly before separating myself from her. Ginny opted to grasp my hand consolingly instead. "You're going to be okay", she said, and I couldn't tell if it was a statement or a question.

Would I really? I supposed so. Maybe a few years from now, when we all had jobs and families, I could forget about ever wanting Ron, and about all of the things he had done to me. Of course, by now the wanting had faded into more of a general sadness. Ginny smiled at me, and I tried my best to beam back.

"Well look on the bright side", she said cheerfully. "At least we're talking again. Everything's alright between us now and since you've told me everything, we shouldn't have any problems!"

I went to reply, but then I thought of something. Ginny didn't know that Draco had kissed me the night of the ball.

_Shit._

But did I really need to tell her that? _'Yes'_, I thought firmly, for although she didn't quite know about all of the other times we had kissed minus the first time, I had promised that I would tell her everything about the night of the ball. My conscience wouldn't have been able to handle lying to Ginny after I had given her my word. Familiarly, I worried my lip.

"Yeah, about that, Ginny…"

The smile that had risen in Ginny's face slacked, and I shrunk slightly away from her.

"What?"

"Er, nothing, nothing, just forget it", I babbled nervously, walking over to my desk to organize my already perfectly systemized items. I didn't dare look at her.

"No, Hermione. Spit it out!" Ginny exclaimed, nearly oblivious to my uneasiness from her want to know what I had been about to say.

"Like I said, just forget it –"

"Hermione Jean Granger, you better start talking, or prepare to be faced with a Bat-Bogey Hex!" Ginny threatened, and my eyes widened. Of course I would have to start talking now. No matter how good I was at magic, even I was fearful of Ginny's favorite magical outlet. Her Bat-Bogey Hex was no force to be reckoned with, and Zacharias Smith could agree to that, since she had hexed him with it last year.

I cleared my throat, wincing slightly at the dryness of my mouth. Facing her, I didn't bother to step closer to her, but instead, chose to stay at my desk, where I could maybe throw something at her if she tried to lunge at me and wring my neck for what I was about to tell her.

"Ginny? Before I tell you, you've got to promise that you won't blow this out of proportion, alright? At least promise me you won't get mad."

She nodded, solemnly, her body language already contorting into a listening position. "I promise."

I exhaled, bringing a hand up to tuck stray hairs behind my ear. "Alright, since I gave you my word. There _are _some things I've left out – from what happened after the ball."

Ginny sucked in a breath, her eager eyes glistening in anticipation. She didn't say anything, so I continued.

"After I ran out crying, I had decided to sit on the steps. I was there, alone, for quite some time, and I figured that once I could collect myself I could get back to my room. But…then someone saw me…and…and… –"

"And what?" She asked precariously, moving closer to me.

"It was Draco. He found me in the stairway", I mumbled, all the while resisting the urge to cover my face. Ginny's reaction wasn't what I had expected at all. She simply stood there, completely relaxed and unfazed by the statement. But that was only because I hadn't finished yet, had I?

"Well. It's a bit of a surprise, but that's not so bad! Why did you think you couldn't tell me that he had found you? I wouldn't have cared as long as you were alright." She shrugged.

"He kissed me", I whispered.

Ginny seemed to have lost her ability to speak, and her mouth hung agape as she registered my words. I cringed slightly, and Ginny blinked twice before she managed to close her mouth.

"Sorry?" She croaked. She looked like a fish out of water, and in any other situation, I would have laughed.

"He kissed me, Ginny. Draco kissed me."

There was a long pause, a still and awkward one. I wondered if –

"_WHAT?"_

I jumped at Ginny's sudden outburst, knocking over the cup of pencils that had perched neatly on my desk, wincing as they all trickled to the floor. I didn't have much time to worry about that however, because Ginny had closed the space between us and grabbed my shoulders, shaking them roughly.

"What the _hell_ did you just say?"

"He was drunk Ginny, so was I! –"

"Draco _Malfoy_, Slytherin prat, our _enemy_ for six years, _kissed_ you?"

I nodded hastily as Ginny shook me, for fear that she would have another outburst. A notion popped into my mind – quite at the wrong moment, actually. Given, Draco and I had never been friends until this year, but had I ever considered him to be an enemy? No. Harry, Ginny, and Ron had categorized him under that title, not me. I had preferred nuisance, or bigoted prat…

"Yes, Ginny! He did, but it's not like it meant anything. We were both drunk out of our minds, and the opportunity just introduced itself –"

"_Introduced itself_?" She shrilled, and she began to shake me once more.

"Ginny!" I shrieked loudly, my gaze dropping to my arms, where her perfectly manicured fingers were viciously digging into my skin. At the sight of them, Ginny's zealous behavior disappeared, and she slumped in tired defeat. Thankfully, she had also released my arms, and I rubbed them to get the blood flowing again.

"Right, sorry, promised I wouldn't blow up", Ginny muttered, before running a hand through her hair and pacing across the room. "Merlin's pants…" she muttered.

I swallowed, and my teeth found my bottom lip for the fifty-fourth time. "Like I said before, Ginny. It doesn't matter. We've talked about it, and he's apologized. We were both drunk." I added weakly. My stomach churned with guilt as Ginny paced around my room, obviously taking all of this into serious consideration. She sighed, turning to me again.

"And exactly how would you know he was really drunk, when you were completely blasted yourself?" Ginny asked exasperatedly. She still had the notion that Draco had wanted to take advantage of me, and I knew within myself that that was completely _untrue_. I trusted him. It had just been a mistake, a slipup from two people in a drunken haze. She had to understand that.

I pushed another thought away from my head; although it had been a mistake, that didn't mean it hadn't been enjoyable…

"He was, Ginny. I could taste the alcohol on his lips…and his tongue."I murmured, trying my best to retain the unexpected yet pleasant shudder that thudded through my frame at the memory.

Ginny looked incredulous. "_Tongue?_ You guys didn't just kiss, did you? You bloody well _made out_, is what you did!"

"Honestly Ginny, what would you expect to drunken people to do? Peck on the _cheek_?"I asked, sensing a need to defend Draco. She was starting to make all of this sound too negative, and it definitely wasn't in his favor.

"Fine", Ginny sighed. "I agree. But how is it that it didn't go any further than that? I mean it _is_ Malfoy after all –"

"Ginny, Draco isn't like that. He's…he's –"

Well what was he, really? Draco was an extraordinarily interesting person. There weren't really any more specific words to describe him. His personality was too _broad_.

"He's different around you, but around everyone else? He's not your lovely little _Draco_." She spat. "He's Malfoy, the bigoted Slytherin prat, dark and mysterious and bitter. And if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was fooling you." Ginny stated, and I had never heard her sound so malicious towards him. I felt outraged at her irate opinion on him, and most of all, sorry for her. It was a shame that she thought of Draco this way. Given, he didn't open up to everybody, and was often moody and slightly unstable, but that didn't mean he was some sort of freak! He was good, and I was getting tired of having to explain that to everyone around me.

"Believe what you want, Ginny." I replied, and it came out ruder than I had intended it to, although I didn't apologize. She needed to understand that people stuck by their friends, no matter what others thought. "He's my friend, and if he does screw up, then I'll be the one to worry about it, for now, at least. Maybe you'll actually like him one day."

Ginny paused in mid snort. "Well I guess you're pretty set on your opinion of him. If you want to be friends with Draco, I won't give you any more grief about it. Besides, if Blaise can handle it, then I definitely can." She smirked, but I didn't reply. Instead, I hugged her, laughing at the choking noise she made as my arms latched around her neck.

"Thanks for leaving this up to me. I know it's going to take some getting used to", I murmured against Ginny's head. She snorted fully this time.

"You're telling me", She replied, but I could feel her smile through her words. That was what I loved about Ginny. Even when she didn't agree, she was always willing to be there for whatever her friends needed. She was a true representation of Gryffindor loyalty.

Ginny separated from me after a few moments, beaming. "Well, I've got to go. I promised Harry I would see him before curfew", she said quietly. "But I'm glad we got the chance to talk."

"Same here", I nodded. Ginny walked to my door as I grabbed my wand and magically reset the cup of pencils onto my desk, making it as if nothing had ever happened. She was nearly out the door when I stopped her.

"Ginny? Say hi to Harry for me, will you?"

Ginny turned, smiling brightly, her eyes shining with warmth. "I will", she assured me, and with a little wave, she exited my room.

As soon as she was gone, I sighed and walked over to my bed, falling onto the soft, fluffy comforters. I stared at the ceiling. Although Ginny had given her consent to my friendship with Draco, I still couldn't help but feel that she was uncomfortable with it.

Why?

I understood that it was a change, I had even had to convince myself that our friendship was real, but couldn't people just trust others, for once? Trust wasn't a bad thing when used correctly, and I needed to show Harry and Ginny that they could trust Draco.

But_ how? _

Interrupting my thoughts, a loud hoot came from my window, and I shrieked in surprise, rising from my bed. At the window, stood a large, black owl. I had never seen it before, but as I observed it, its majestic form intrigued me. It also had come with a letter. Walking over to my open window, I shuddered as the cold night air hit my skin.

"Hello", I purred to the owl, and it hooted once more. Resting one hand on its head to soothe it, the other reached down at its foot to untie the silvery ribbon the held the letter to it. Once untied, I stared at the fancy envelope the letter was encased in. It was as black as the owl, with a silver monogram containing two letters, D and M, with a snake magically sliding through them. I smirked at the obviousness of it all.

What would Draco was at this time of night?

Apparently the moment I had taken to think had been too much for the owl, and he impatiently nipped at my finger. Reaching over for the jar of owl treats I kept, I fed him one and sent him on his way, closing the windows behind him. Even the bird had some of Draco's characteristics, I mused. Looking down at the fancy envelope in my hands again, something in my chest fluttered with excitement, and I rushed to my bed again, sitting cross-legged before beginning to open it.

As I did, an especially alluring scent presented itself to my nose, and I smirked at his aristocracy again. Scented paper? Oh the trouble he went to just to deliver a message. It was quite ridiculous really. My fingers deftly opened the parchment card that had been inside of its casing, and I began to read.

_Hermione, _

_I've really been thinking about your invitation for me to reside at your home for the holidays. Although it is a strange request, I can't help but think that I would be a fool to turn down a nice vacation with you to stay here at Hogwarts, alone. As you said before, no one deserves to be alone for Christmas. Since we're friends now, I can take your invite in stride. I've decided that I'd like to accompany you for the Winter Break, of course, if you'll have me. Thanks for everything, and next time we meet we can discuss the arrangements._

_Sincerely, _

_Draco. _

I stared at the paper for a moment. Draco wanted to come to my house for the Holidays. He had actually considered it. I smiled, and reread his words again. Of course I would have him! I couldn't wait to discuss things with him, and to show him what Muggles were really like. Besides being excited, I was also inexplicably proud of him. The fact the he had relinquished his father's racist hold on him enough to stay at a Muggle home? I wanted to hug him for it. It seemed that Draco was finally realizing that he was his own person, and if he had to use me for that, then I wouldn't object.

A thought crossed my mind.

I hadn't told Ginny or Harry of my plans for Draco to stay with me for Christmas. Frankly, I didn't think they would've been able to handle it, and they would have embarrassed Draco and me. I was fully capable of handling this situation myself. What a surprise this would be, when they finally found out one day. For once, I didn't hold in my urge to laugh but instead, embraced it.

The sound was unfamiliar, light and tingly, reminding me of wind chimes, but most of all, it was childish. I then realized, that I hadn't laughed in a long, long time. Glancing down at the paper again, my laughing increased.

It seemed that with Draco, there were always surprises.

VVVVV

Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update lately. With school and things, it took me an even longer time to write this, but I don't regret it! It's not my best work, as I'm suffering from a bit of writers block at the moment, but I'm going to try my best to update sooner! **Please feel free to give me some inspiration by leaving ideas, reviews or constructive criticisms, you have no idea how much they help and inspire me!** On a happier note, Draco will officially be spending Christmastime with Hermione! Yay, they're getting closer to being a couple! Love to all! X


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: Everything besides my plot belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.

Ch. 33

_Dear Mum and Dad, _

_I miss you both terribly! But luckily, Christmas is less than two weeks away. I hope you're both doing well! Harry, Ginny, and I have become quite the new little trio. I'm still not speaking to Ron, but I'm getting a lot better with dealing that there is a possibility that our friendship has simply come to a close. Not quite the replacement, but still extremely important, I have made a new friend. His name is Draco Malfoy. I know what you're thinking. Isn't that the same boy that bullied our daughter for nearly all of her time at Hogwarts? You're right, but he's changed. Since we've been assigned Head Boy and Girl, we've gotten to be great friends, agreeing to a fresh start. Draco has been there for me all of the times that Ron wasn't. We even designed the Winter Ball together. Sadly, Draco will not be spending Christmas break with his mum, and I suspect it's because – _

I bit my lip, my quill hovering centimeters away from the parchment. I had been about to tell my parents a bit about Draco's parents, and especially what I knew about his father's past. It wasn't much information, but it albeit; it could've been something they need to know. But what would make them want Draco over our house when his family had such issues? Instead, I searched my brain for a small fib that would suffice, for now at least.

– _Because his mother has to attend a funeral for a family friend. He was very close to the person, and although he didn't tell me who it was, I could tell he was visibly crushed. It's quite sad, really. It was then brought to my attention that Draco would be spending his holidays here at Hogwarts, alone. I felt so bad for him that I kind of invited him to stay over our house for Christmastime. I'm sorry for the short notice, but would it be alright if Draco spent the winter break with us? If you had seen the look on his face, you would have invited him as well. I hope you agree to let him stay over. It would mean so much not only to me, but to him as well._

_Much love, _

_Hermione. _

There, I sighed. That hadn't been so hard.

I really hoped that my parents would be okay with Draco coming over. I knew my Mum definitely would, as she always loved having guests, but Dad? He was the one I wasn't so sure of.

It wasn't that he was against having friends over –countless friends had stayed over before, including Harry and Ron…but how would he react when he realized the guest of the house was the same boy that had once been snobbish and prejudiced against his only daughter?

I didn't think my dad would take to kindly to that.

Nonetheless, when Mum supplied her vote, which would most likely be an absolute yes, dad would cave in, as he always did. Sighing, I got up from my desk and got ready to settle in for the night, making my way to the bathroom for a nice warm shower.

I didn't regret my decisions.

I only wished I had thought of all this a little bit sooner.

VVVVV

It was strange really, how my emotions could contort themselves against my will sometimes.

So much for calmly debating on going to Hermione's house for the holidays, because after dinner I had practically ran upstairs to my dormitory and scribbled a quick yet exceptionally polite note of acceptance of her invitation, followed by a quick run to the Owl Post to deliver it to her. To add on to that, I didn't even know what had suddenly made me so sure of my decision. All in all, I had been ten minutes late to my nightshift Quidditch practice because of this, and as an undisclosed punishment for my tardiness, Pucey, our team's captain, was now royally taking the piss out of me.

"Malfoy!" Pucey roared as he received the quaffle from Blaise and slammed it into one of the large hoop goals. "Are you going to catch that snitch, or wait for the bloody grass to grow?"

Rolling my eyes, I swerved my broom around in the air and glided in another direction, my eyes scanning the dark, cool night air furtively.

Nothing.

Where was the familiar golden glint I was so used to seeing? It was always a tinkling flash, and by the time your eyes rolled in their sockets in its direction, it would be gone. But that's what I loved about the game, and about being Seeker.

I loved the chase.

"Oi, don't get your knickers in a bunch, _Adrian_", Blaise drawled somewhere below me at Pucey. "It's bloody dark out here, not to mention cold. Don't blame any of us if we're not going fast enough, because if I remember correctly, the reason why we're on nightshifts now in the first place is because _you _were too slow to fill in our time slots on time."

I smirked as Pucey remarked back, his voice nearly sheepish, but I didn't get the chance to hear his full remark, because a small, bright, golden orb was suddenly inches away from my nose. My hand swiped into the air, missing the golden ball by a millisecond. Without another pause, I dove downwards after it, veering swiftly past other players. It all seemed to be out of focus now, and the only thing clearly in my view was the shiny Golden Snitch, surrounded by a blur of emerald green robes and the dark navy blue of pure night sky. Air gushed into my eyes from the pressure of the speed, pulling my eyelids back a bit. I didn't dare reach a hand up to wipe stray watery tears from the constant blast of wind flooding into my eyes.

One false move, and the Snitch would be out of my sight again, or even worse, I'd be lying in a broken heap on the grounds of the Quidditch Pitch. Neither would be favorable.

I accelerated higher into the sky, and at the familiar tug of my body, I realized that I was close to hitting the barrier of the magical school enchantments. The feeling wasn't so bad, but it was rather uncomfortable. It felt a bit like the pre-sensation of Apparition.

The miniscule globe flew in another direction for the third time, and my urgency to retrieve it increased by tenfold. Arm outstretched, I tilted against my broom, fingers inches behind the small little thing. My brows furrowed in concentration, and my teeth hooked onto my bottom lip in anticipation.

So close.

Inches away.

_Centimeters_ away.

With a sudden downward tilt of my broom, my gloved hand quickly smacked through the air and hit the top of the Snitch. Without a seconds haste, my fingers quickly wrapped themselves around the ball, trapping its small fluttery wings between my thumb and pinky finger. I relished in the familiar cooling sensation that erupted in my hand as my the tips of my fingers came into contact with the valuable gold, hard and icy in my palm, soaking through the hard leathery substance of my glove. I closed my eyes for a moment at the signal horn. Had this been an official game, we would have won. Eyes closed, I imagined the hundreds of screaming supporters of Slytherin, and well…the not so supporting.

Good old Gryffindor.

I could hear the booing just as clearly I could hear the adoring yells and screams of satisfaction.

Upon hearing the ending whistle blow, I slowly sank my broom back to the ground and hopped off. Blaise and Pucey approached me as the others began to get off of their brooms and release their hands from their leather clad confines.

"Finally, Malfoy! Took you long enough, eh?" Pucey smirked as he too removed his gloves. I wasn't in the mood to talk back, as the chase for the Snitch had calmed me. I only nodded, and went to move past him, but however, his hand my shoulder brought me to a halt. I couldn't help but glare a little at him.

"Next time you're late to practice", he said softly before gesturing over to the Quidditch Equipment cart, "You'll be carrying all of that gear on your back. _Without_ a wand." He added starkly. Rolling my eyes, I shoved his hand off of me and continued to walk back to the castle. A few moments later, Blaise was beside me.

"Mate, you should really be a bit more…polite around Pucey. If any of us had pulled a little stunt like that, we would've been kicked off the team." He suggested.

I exhaled loudly, but nonetheless, I didn't stop walking. "I'm trying, alright? And thanks for the hint, but I really could care less about how Pucey wants me to act. I get it, he's team Captain, but he's really been getting on my nerves lately. He thinks it's funny to take the piss out of me."

Blaise shrugged. "Yeah, but… _–_"

"But nothing. If Pucey's got a problem with me, he can come talk to me about it. I know for a fact he won't kick me off the team, because let's face it, I'm one of his most valuable players." I stated frankly.

I wasn't being self-centered. It was the truth! At yearly Quidditch tryouts, I always completely slaughtered my opponents, and for the last few years, the team Captains hadn't even bothered to let me try out for Seeker again. The spot was practically mine, and as I realized that this would be my last year playing Seeker, I felt somewhat crushed. We had entered the school's corridors now, so our voices had lowered instinctively.

"Agreed", Blaise muttered. We walked quietly on for a few minutes before Blaise spoke again. "By the way, Weaselette told me that Granger wanted you to stop by."

My walk slowed as he said Hermione's name, and my stomach turned over. Had she decided that she didn't want me over her house this Christmas? Something very close to embarrassment flooded into me at the thought of her rejecting my acceptance.

"What?" I swallowed. Blaise's brow quirked visibly as I did.

"Ginny, I mean. She caught me in the hallway before practice, said Hermione wanted to see you." He mused. Not wanting Blaise to become suspicious of anything, I quickly shook my nerves off and cleared my throat.

"Really? For what?" I asked, a cool mask seeping over my features.

"The hell if I know", Blaise smirked, before winking. "Unless… _–_"

I sputtered incoherently, flabbergasted that Blaise would even think that Hermione and I were having casual…_relations_. He didn't have to say it aloud. I knew Blaise so well I could tell what he was thinking by his facial expressions alone.

"No! _No_, Blaise. Hermione and I are just friends – I've told you that!"

Blaise only shrugged, his smirk growing and stretching in size. "Alright, no need to get your knickers in a bunch about it."

I then realized that although it wasn't that late, there seemed to be no one else in this area of the school apart from the two of us. Blaise began to tread up the stairs ahead of us.

"Are you going to see her now then, or later?" He asked. I shrugged nonchalantly, and as I did, my abdomen twisted with satisfaction that Hermione wanted to see me. I hoped it was for a good result, but if not…well then visiting her in itself would be quite alright with me.

"Dunno", I replied. "I think I'll freshen up a bit first. Then I'll decide if I have time or not." I replied, when in my mind I knew my decision already. By the time Blaise had gone upstairs, I had dashed for the other direction, to my room. First I would freshen up, and immediately after that, I would pay a visit to Hermione.

I had the time, and I had it _now_.

VVVVV

A sudden, abrupt knock at my door was the second thing that had startled me that night. I had been resting on my bed, reading calmly with Crookshanks beside me when I had heard it.

There was an abrupt rap at the door, and I sat upright immediately, causing Crookshanks to leap to the floor and scurry under my bed, his safe haven for when other people besides me were around. He hated guests.

There was a smaller, this time expected, knock at the door, and although it wasn't too late– a few minutes before 10:30 in fact – I wondered who would want something from me at this hour.

"Coming!" I called out as I made my way to the door, wondering who it would be behind it. Maybe it was Harry, or Ginny? '_No'_, I thought, they would have voiced themselves by now. Hands inches away from the doorknob, I decided I would just find out who it was when I opened the door. A little surprise wouldn't hurt. My left hand reached out and curled over the doorknob, and as I pulled the door open I held back a gasp.

The element of surprise had done well, for oh what a surprise it was.

Upon opening the door, I had opened my mouth to form a greeting, but now it slacked and crept silently out of my mouth.

Standing at my doorstep was Draco himself, his tall from creating a warm shadow against the side of the doorframe. Still in surprise, I looked him over and saw that he was in his Quidditch uniform, complete with arm and leg guards, his hair tousled from what must have been the harsh wind outside. Wordlessly, I kept staring at him, and under my gaze, I could've sworn I saw a flicker of hesitancy cross his eyes, but as I searched them again, his icy grey-blue orbs met mine head on.

"Hi", he said breathlessly, and a small smile graced his upturned lips. Gaining my senses back, I closed my mouth and ignored his smirk as I did. I was too busy trying to form coherent words.

"Draco?" I said, surprised. "What are you doing here? It's past curfew!"

At my questioning, Draco's brows raised quizzically. "You wanted to see me?"

I stared at him for a moment, confused now more than ever. Where had he heard that? I had never asked to see him…had I? No, I remembered firmly. I hadn't.

Out of habit, a hand went up to perch on the arch of my hip.

"Who told you that?"

Draco was now looking thoroughly puzzled. "Ginny, of course! Well, actually she told Blaise, who then dropped the message to me… _–_"

As he explained, realization sank into the pit of my stomach, and I felt a hard, heated blush emerge on my face and chest. At my embarrassment, Draco cut his story short and became quietly perplexed again.

"What's wrong?" He asked, and I couldn't help but be reminded of a little innocent boy at tone of his remark.

I shook my head tiredly. "Ginny", I bit out. Draco was smart, and when I didn't continue, he quickly figured out the gist of the situation himself.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Well this was awkward, not to mention embarrassing. Here stood Draco, standing on my doorstep past _curfew_, because of a little trick that Ginny had decided to play on us. What had she been playing at, anyways? As much as I loved Ginny, frustration and confusion pulsed through me at the thought that it was her fault we were now in this awkward situation.

"I'm going to _kill_ Blaise. He probably had a part in this as well!" Draco hissed, before turning to me again.

For once, I found the situation slightly amusing. "You probably won't have to. It seems Ginny has conned him too." I pondered, and at my small smile, Draco lightened up slightly. Before we knew it, we were laughing quietly at the awkward position we had been placed into. In fact, we were giggling like little girls. After a moment or two, I realized how rude I was being for letting Draco stand outside of my doorway.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked softly, and to my surprise, Draco didn't pull back in any way. Instead, he took another step towards me.

"Why not?"

Stepping back, I let him pass through the open door and into my quarters. As he passed me, the familiar and alluring smell of his musky, citrus hinted cologne traveled into my nostrils. Discreetly, I greedily took in another breath. If there were things I absolutely _loved _about Draco, it was his scent…

I managed to catch the thought before it traveled too far away.

Absolutely _loved_?

Why had I used the word loved? I hadn't meant it, had I?

Taking me from my thoughts, the sound of Draco whistling brought me back to the settings of my room.

"Well, well, Hermione, your room is much better than I thought it would be. For one, I thought it would be completely plastered in Gryffindor colors." He mused, looking around the room.

Instinctively, I curled inwardly with embarrassment. Having Draco in my room made everything seem so private all of a sudden, and the unnecessary nervous expectation that he would find something inappropriate for him to see clouded my head. What if I had left a bra lying around, or if a spare knicker was hanging out of my dresser? Draco would never let me live it down!

"I'm almost pretty sure your quarters are everything Slytherin", I replied dryly as I walked past him to fix my bed covers. I heard him laugh a short distance away. As I adjusted my frazzled bed sheets, the back of my shirt lifted slightly, exposing an infinitesimal part of my lower back to the air that contrasted greatly to warmth of the rest of my cloth-covered skin. I reached to pull it down, feeling the need to blush again. Looking down at my clothing, I realized that I had nothing on but a think v-neck sweater and striped pajama bottoms. I wondered why Draco hadn't commented on my clothing choice yet. He was probably saving an especially snarky comment on it for later. It was then that I realized he hadn't answered yet, something that was quite uncommon for him. Anyone that knew Draco also knew that he constantly had something to say – especially if it gave him a chance to express his witty qualities.

"Draco?" I questioned again. No answer.

Letting go of my finally smoothed out sheets, I turned to see where he had stopped in my room. Interest plagued me as my eyes finally found him again.

Not too far from my doorway, Draco had stopped at the large bookshelf that took up a hefty portion of the wall in front of me. He seemed to be quietly entranced in something, and as I watched, a long pale hand reached out into one of the shelves and gingerly lifted out a rectangular object. I couldn't see what it was from my part of the room, and as he stared at it even longer, I couldn't restrain the urge to see what was distracting him so much.

Quietly, I walked over and stood beside him. He was taller than me, and as we stood side by side, my head rested a bit higher than his shoulder. Wordlessly, as I tilted my head to see the item, my throat tightened.

In Draco's hands rested the only picture I had taken the night of the Winter Ball. I watched as it moved, and in my head, the memories came flooding back.

The picture was a simple one. Ginny, Lavender, Padma, Luna, and Parvati surrounded me as I stood in the middle. We had been standing in the middle of the dance floor, when we had suddenly decided to take a picture before the party became too rowdy. We were all smiling.

"_For memories",_ Lavender had said.

Unfortunately, taking the picture seemed to be the only memory I had that hadn't been plagued and tinged with alcohol. My eyes mentally burning holes through the picture, I watched as my dressed marvelously picked up the lights in the room, making the small rhinestones embroidered around the bust shimmer. I smiled brightly as Ginny brought me closer to her. Hilariously, she winked, and I heard the faintest laugh emerge from Draco's lips, so small it could have been confused for a breath. I looked away then. I couldn't stand to see my friends and myself so happy when I knew that I had ruined what would've been a wonderful night not many hours after that very picture had been taken. Tears threatened to erupt in my eyes, and I glanced downward, blinking furiously. I wouldn't cry in front of Draco, and especially not over something we had already talked about and figured out together. After a few moments, Draco cleared his throat quietly.

"Are you…?"

"You don't have to say anything", I stopped him sharply, and although I spoke diffidently, I felt completely the opposite. Draco nodded.

"Well, even with that in mind…you looked pretty. Really pretty." Draco sighed softly. I looked up at him, unsurprised as his eyes brazenly stared into mine. The famous unfathomable expression had returned.

I then realized how close we were, not only to the bookshelf, but to each other. Our bodies had somehow ended up facing more towards each other than side to side, and as Draco looked down at me, I felt the flush of anticipation run over my skin. I seemed to have blanked out when he complimented me, something I had never imagined him to do again after that night on the steps by the ball. Pleasure whirred in my chest like a ticking clock, and I felt as if I was about to burst. Draco stepped closer and my breath caught in my throat, and as he licked his lips, I watched as after his teeth swiped over the edge of his bottom lip. Tentatively, I raised a hand to his silky, green, fabric-covered bicep. He was closer than ever now, and I didn't feel the need to restrain him. My mind felt dazed, cloudy.

High, almost.

Draco's hand was inches away from brushing against my hip. Why wasn't I stopping him? I didn't know. I ached to feel the familiar electricity between our lips, and the feeling of drowning in him.

Suddenly, Draco jumped away with a yelp, knocking over a book from my shelf, and nearly tripping over the edge of the rug at his feet. I jumped in surprise, my breath finally returning. I gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked cautiously, and in the back of my head I wondered if he would have a break down for almost trying to kiss me. Red hot embarrassment hit me in the face like a brick.

"Shit", Draco muttered, placing one hand to his heart while the other ruffled through his already wind tousled hair.

"What?" I asked urgently. I wanted to slap him. Did he really have to make such a big deal about it? I was embarrassed too! Couldn't he just have acted like it hadn't happened? I fought back another blush as I realized what a hit to my dignity it had been that he had had to stop himself short of kissing me. Not to mention that he was flailing around over it. I had half the nerve to ask him to leave…

Draco did nothing but suck in another breath and point an index finger to my feet.

Looking down at the carpet we stood on, I had to suppress a laugh, for Draco's sake. My embarrassment and anger at him floated away at the sight of Crookshanks purring and prowling about inches away from my feet. If anyone was to be embarrassed now, it would be Draco. Cooing, I leant down and took Crookshanks into my arms, placing a kiss on his left ear.

"Aw, Crookshanks! Did the pale, mean little boy scare you?" I playfully asked the cat while I watch Draco's reaction from behind my lashes. He was standing a few feet away, staring at me incredulously as I petted the cat.

"Me scare _him_? That bloody pig with hair nearly made me go into cardiac arrest! He was practically crawling up my leg!" He retorted, gesturing to the small scratches that Crookshanks had left on his shin guards. I chuckled.

"He likes you, Draco. It's not my fault you don't know how to deal with animals." I sniffed before turning my attention back to Crookshanks, deciding to play with his soft little paws. Draco snorted.

"That _thing_ is _not _an animal. It's a furry, ginger, _monster_."

"Quiet or I'll make you pet him!" I threatened with a smile. As I set Crookshanks back down on my bed, I looked down at him in surprise when he didn't scurry back underneath the bed. He must have really liked Draco, because he didn't cower or hiss. In fact, he continued to purr.

"I think a likes you, a lot." I murmured confusedly. Draco scoffed.

"Well I can't say the feeling is mutual", he sneered disdainfully. "I'd rather not get too friendly with _it_."

"You don't understand!" I replied fervently. "Crooks has never liked _any_ of my friends! Not Ron, Ginny, or Harry. Well, except Luna, but then again everything with some sort of deficiency seems to be attracted to her…"

Draco paused before laughing at my joke. "Really?"

I nodded. "Well…yeah, for the most part. I remember one time there was a three legged Hinkypunk that Hagrid had trapped on the grounds…he snarled at everyone, but he loved Luna to pieces… –"

"I was talking about your _'cat'_, Hermione", Draco reminded me, drawling sarcastically as he made air quotations with his fingers. I shrugged.

"Oh. Well, yeah I guess it's the truth. He usually just hides until guests or gone", I glanced over to see Crookshanks rubbing his head against my pillows, "But there's a first for everything isn't there?"

Draco looked over at me again, his eyes looking darker than before.

"Yeah. Yeah there is." He answered quietly. I smiled, and he returned it with a warm grin. There was a moment of silence, but it was not awkward like the others of the night had been. This silence was peaceful, soothing even.

"So? Since we've both been pranked, and I'm still here…should we discuss the plan for the holidays?" Draco asked, breaking the stillness. I grinned brightly, eager to discuss and make plans with him.

"Sure! I've actually just sent a letter to my Mum to set everything up. She's really glad we're having a guest. Not to mention it's someone new she can pester and feed humongous amounts of food to", I quirked. Draco smirked humorously, and a small piece of me edged with anticipation for my parents' reply to return. Along with the anticipation came a twinge guilt, for getting Draco so seemingly animated about the trip.

'_No need, no need'_, I told myself. Mum and Dad would be perfectly happy having a guest…

"Sounds bearable", Draco teased before becoming serious. "By the way, if I haven't mentioned this to you before, I'm mentioning it now. I'll be leaving on Christmas Eve…I've decided I'll spent the two most important days with my mother", He stated.

I wondered why he had suddenly decided to return home when he had been so adamant about doing quite the opposite all of this time, but I didn't question him about it. If he had something to tell me, he could tell me when he was ready. Draco could trust me, and I hoped he knew that as well as I did. I was still very proud of him for being so open about my invitation, but now my pride swelled even more at the thought of him finally visiting his mother. He hadn't seen her or rarely spoken to her since the summer, he had told me that himself.

"That's really great", I smiled. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

Draco nodded in agreement, a small smile plastered to his face. "Yes, she will."

My eyes softened at his expression. He rarely wrote his mother letters, and when I would ask why, he would continually brush me off and say that he was too busy, or that he didn't want to bother her. But there had to be so much more to that story, right?

"She must really miss you." I told him, and I watched his eyes as they mysteriously glazed over.

"Yeah", Draco replied, and his voice cracked a bit. He coughed once before his eyes turned hard again.

"Well I should get going, it's getting pretty late." Draco stated. I glanced over at the small clock on my desk.

_11:11_

Before Draco could make a move towards my door, I closed the gap between us and grabbed his arm. "Wait!" I cried out, bringing him to halt. Draco glanced down to where my fingers were gripping his forearm tightly. I released him and fought an oncoming blush.

"What?" He asked curiously, but his tone was a bit more irritated than amused. It didn't faze me, however.

"Draco, its 11:11! You've got to make a wish!" I explained eagerly. Making wishes at 11:11 P.M. had always been one of my favorite things when I was little, and the habit had grown with me. It was a bit childish, but with everything going on in my life, I sometimes needed that one minute to give me hope. Draco scoffed.

"Sorry?"

"It's a Muggle thing – Draco you've got to hurry up and make a wish–!"

"I'm not a Muggle, Hermione."

"Well obviously", I retorted with a roll of my eyes. "It's just a fun thing to do. Besides, you don't have to be a Muggle to make a wish!"

Draco sighed exasperatedly, but began to do as I said. "Fine. I wish… –"

"No! If you say it aloud it won't come true!" I exclaimed. Draco jerked his head in the direction of the clock on my desk.

"Too late now anyway." He shrugged. It was true. As I glanced at the clock, I saw that it was now 11:12, and that the one precious moment of the night had been wasted. "Oops." Draco added sarcastically.

I stared at him, hard, for a moment. Sometimes Draco was so uncaring that I wondered if anything was really important to him at all. He couldn't even lose himself in a childish belief, whether his wish would've come true or not! He seemed so wound up that at times that I would actually be concerned for him.

"Draco?"

"What _now_?"

"Have you ever made a wish before?" I asked quietly. There was a slight pause before Draco answered the question.

"No", he replied firmly.

At his answer, I wanted to ask him why, and a series of questions. I felt stupid for wanting to do so, but still, his reasons intrigued me. "Why not?"

"Because", Draco answered with a roll of his eyes, "They're absolutely pointless. Either things happen, or they don't, Hermione. You're not going to get anywhere in life by believing that some undetermined higher force of power is going to magically solve your problems for you. Trust me on that." He finished, and a dark, stern glare appeared on his face, making his eyes turn a cold, pewter color.

I stayed quiet. I didn't know what to say to him. Draco had obviously had a difficult adolescence. I decided I wouldn't question him any further. He had such a dour outlook on life sometimes. His personalities often varied on his mood, and I guessed that he had had a difficult day. Whether he had expected a rabid outburst at his views from me, I didn't know, for he continued to walk out of my room. I didn't stop him.

Upon reaching the doorway, he turned back to me, only to find me staring down idly at the carpet. His eyes softened once more as he spoke to me, and I wondered if maybe he felt slightly guilty at his choice of words.

"Sleep well, Hermione." He stated, but it wasn't with confidence, but instead, a murmur. When I didn't answer, Draco turned away again and finally exited my room.

"You too", I responded, more to myself than to him as the door closed softly behind his form. Once he was gone, I sighed quietly, and went over to lie in my bed again, becoming swallowed once more by the warm, comfortable covers. I wondered if Draco would _really_ sleep well.

Would he? Or would he be plagued by unpleasant visions and dreams of his pressured life? I wondered what Draco thought about, when _he_ was alone, wrapped in his own covers in the dead of night. Did he think of his father? Or his cheerless, abandoned mother?

I didn't know.

He wouldn't tell me. I wanted to help Draco, but how could I possibly manage to when he shut himself away from the world, when he compartmentalized his emotions the way he did? I turned in my covers, cocooning myself within their plush depths. I wished that he would open up to me. Draco didn't have to share everything with me, we weren't a couple or anywhere near it, for that matter –but I had still given him so much of myself. He knew more about me than I knew of him. A thought flashed through my mind, and I thanked my inner genius.

_The holiday break. _

With a definite possibility of Draco spending time with me for the holidays as friends, I would have about a week and a half to spend with him. Mentally planning, I decided that the time would be used for Muggle activities that Draco could enjoy without being too freaked out. With a hint of magical influence, of course. With the slightest bit of hope, I closed my eyes and began to settle in.

I _would_ get Draco to open up to me, and Christmas break would be the perfect time to do it.

VVVVV

Hey guys! This chapter was a big fluff-ball for me to write! Don't you just love Ginny? We'll see why she played that prank later and whether Blaise knew her motives or not. Christmas break is nearly here for Draco and Hermione, and she is determined to get him to open up to her! Will she succeed**? What would you like to happen during their vacation? Any specific events? If so, please feel free to message me or leave a review, ideas, or constructive criticism!** Love to all and for those of you in the states, HAPPY MLK DAY! x


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: The things I would do to Draco if I owned him? Well let's just say that I wouldn't have much time to write this fic. Everything but my plot belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.

Ch. 34

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the smallest taps at my window. Too drowsy to comprehend anything, as anyone would be when they were in between the worlds of sleep and awareness, I simply turned in my bed and began to fully submerge myself into slumber again.

It wasn't until I had heard a rabid hooting that I awoke with a slight start. As I did, all of yesterday's events came flooding back to me – Ginny had visited, then Draco; and I had written a letter to my parents…

Mum and Dad. They had to be responding!

As soon as I could, I excitedly willed myself up and out of bed, walking still somewhat drowsily to my closed window. As I turned the latch, the tawny owl that had been resting on my window sill hopped in, bearing a response from my parents on its foot. Silently yet excitedly, I untied the letter from the bird's foot, stopping to reward it with an owl treat before turning to my letter.

_Hermione_ was all it simply said on the front, and I realized my mother's penmanship almost immediately from the sleek bottom curve of the _H _and _E_. With trembling fingers, I opened the flap, slipped out the small note and began to read.

_Hermione, _

_So great to hear from you, darling! Your father and I miss you so much! I am also glad to hear that you will be with us for Christmas so soon! We're both so sorry for your loss of friendship with Ronald, but hopefully it is only temporary! You two have gotten into rows many times before. As for your new friend, it is a bit sudden for an invitation…but due to his circumstances, it would be perfectly fine to have him over! You do know how I love guests! Your father is a bit wary – due to how you guys disliked each other so strongly before – but he'll be over it by the time you visit. I've already starting to plan everything! We miss you darling! Hope to see you soon!_

_Love always, _

_Mum and Dad. _

I smiled in satisfaction that my parents had agreed to have Draco over for the Holidays. I trusted my mum would see to dad, and that everything would be perfectly fine. Looking down at the letter, I completely forgot that the tawny owl had remained in my room until it hooted impatiently. Still smiling, I walked over and gave it another treat before letting it go; watching as it flew far away, becoming nothing but a tiny speck in a few mere moments.

Things were finally starting to look up.

VVVVV

"Blaise you treacherous little bleeder!" I exclaimed angrily as I entered the Slytherin Common Room, scaring a few First Years on my way in. Scanning the large room, my eyes came into contact with Blaise's dark shorn head on the couch, his face plastered extremely close to a pretty, light brown haired girl's. Walking over from behind them, I made my way to the dark green loveseat they were sitting on, fuming with anger.

"Blaise!" I barked, and he nearly jumped a mile and off of the couch. Daphne Greengrass shrieked in surprise.

"Bloody hell, mate!" Blaise groaned, both from being surprised and for the sake that he had had to separate himself from the cute girl. "Couldn't you have made yourself present some other time?"

Looking down at Daphne for a moment, who turned her face in reddish embarrassment, my lips quirked. Whatever business they had been up to, I had most definitely ruined the mood, and for that, I was satisfied.

"You bloody wanker. What the hell did you think you were playing at by sending me to her room last night?" I seethed, pushing away the urge to smack Blaise or strangle him. At my comment, Blaise's eyebrows raised curiously, but nonetheless, he stood up and straightened his robes, leading me out to the corridor without a word to Daphne. It wasn't as if Daphne had had much to say anyways – she had been too busy trying to nonchalantly fix her slightly unbuttoned shirt.

Out in the empty corridor, Blaise only shrugged. "Sorry about that. Didn't suppose you wanted Daphne to know your business."

Ignoring his act of helpfulness and my gratitude towards it, I jerked my head impatiently. "Just answer the question, will you?"

"What the ruddy hell are you talking about?"

"What am _I_ talking about? I'm talking about me stupidly going to see Hermione, only to find out that she had had no plans of having me over!"

Blaise scoffed. "Maybe she'd changed her mind! I was just passing on the message that Ginny had –"

"So Ginny fooled you, you're saying?" I asked, sneering skeptically. Blaise fixed me with his cool and casual gaze, one that he usually reserved for idiots.

"I guess", he shrugged; only slightly nonplussed. My jaw clenched in agitation.

Since when had little Weaslette been so conniving? How had she ended up in Gryfinndor?

"It's not that big of a deal, mate", Blaise replied, and I saw his eyes dart back to the entrance of the Common Room. He was obviously anxious to get back to Daphne and resume his…activities.

"But what was she playing at? It's not like Hermione and I would've done anything." I muttered, ignoring the thrilling yet unselected mental of image of Hermione writhing underneath me. I pushed the vision away as soon as it had come. I respected our friendship too much to think of her that way…as an object. After what I had done to Pansy, I reckoned it would be a long time until I would be able to get with another girl without feeling like a jerk about it. But then again, I usually ended up being a jerk no matter how hard I tried.

It wasn't as if I hadn't imagined being with Hermione before. Being in such close pretenses with any girl would make a guy think that way. And there had been the dreams…but I hadn't been able to control those!

_Neither had she…_

Blaise shifted his weight from foot to foot. "No idea. Why don't you just go ask her about it? As for me, I think I'll go try and take care of business." He smirked, and without another word, walked back over to the entrance. There was a slight pause, and he stopped again.

"Maybe there are just certain things…that are obvious to others and not you", Blaise mused, and before I could reply, he had disappeared into the Common Room again.

Ruddy hell.

VVVVV

It was Wednesday, making it three days since I had last seen Draco. Surprisingly, I hadn't expected him to see him until Friday, – minus when we were in class together, not like we could speak there – when he had agreed to help me pack.

But, fate had other plans.

I was stomping through the dewy grass of the grounds, wondering why it was so misty at noon, and regretting not wearing a sweater beneath my robes – when I spotted Draco.

With one leg up, he was resting against_ my_ tree again, his head lowered as he wrote something into the journal resting on his knee. Lips pursed, I walked over, stopping right above his blonde head.

"Whatever happened to our agreement, Malfoy? This tree is mine." I remarked playfully. At the sound of my voice, he smirked.

"Sorry. I've forgotten." Draco replied as he finished his sentence on the page. Looking down, I recognized his dark elaborate handwriting, although I couldn't see what he was writing. Closing the leather-bound notebook, he looked up at me.

"Are you expecting me to leave?" He asked, his steely grey-blue eyes boring into mine. Sighing, I plopped down next to him. He had apparently set a warming charm on the grass – and as I sat down, appreciation and warmth flooded into me at his magical ability. It reminded me of lying on freshly laundered, warm bed sheets.

"Guess not. That would mean risking a sprained wrist again, wouldn't it?" I reminded him, and he winced slightly. I shouldn't have, as I remembered that he had been extremely guilty about the whole incident.

"Right. Sorry about that by the way."

"It's fine."

After all, Draco had risked his image by carrying me into the Hospital Wing to be cared for in front of hundreds of students. Not wanting the silence to go on for too long, I poked a finger at the notebook in his lap. The leather felt smooth, and not nearly as rough as is looked against the pad of my finger.

"What class is this for?" I wondered, eyebrows raised. I hadn't heard of any class keeping notebooks for part of the curriculum this year. Perhaps Transfiguration…or maybe Divination?

"None", Draco answered briskly, clearing his throat. "I…err, keep a journal."

I nearly laughed at the coincidence, but decided against it. Instead, I wordlessly reached into my bag and pulled out the black and gold leather journal that I kept with me at all times. Draco smirked proudly.

"What a surprise. We, of all people, have to be the utmost example for the phrase, great minds think alike."

I grinned. It was true, in all aspects. We were both the smartest in our year, both Head Boy and Girl…we had many more things in common than I would've cared to realize up until a few months ago.

"I thought you had class at this hour?" Draco asked, and I shook my head. I had a free period, and today I had decided to use it for a bit of peaceful reading on the grounds.

"I could ask you the same question."

Draco's eyes twinkled mischievously at my comment. "I do."

Realization hit me and I hit the imp on the shoulder. "You prat! You shouldn't be skipping your classes!"

"Will you relax, Granger?" Draco replied disdainfully, rubbing the area where I had swatted him. "I've only skipped about twice this year. In fact, I've pretty much ruined my record –"

"Ruined you _record_? You mean you've been skipping your classes ever since First Year?" I asked, my mouth gaping open in shock. I had only missed about 5 classes in all of my years here at Hogwarts, either because I had been ill or I had been out fighting Voldemort with Harry – but _never _because I hadn't wanted to attend them. The very thought of me missing a class because I wasn't interested made me want to shudder.

"Third year, actually", Draco corrected me, looking as unconcerned as ever.

"Why would you do that! I should report you to the…to the –!"

"To the Head Boy?" Draco smirked smugly, pointing to himself. I glared at him.

"Never mind that! You shouldn't be skipping your classes! You're setting a bad example for the younger students! I scorned him crossly, my arms going up to link across my chest. I ignored Draco's blatant gaze at my chest, his eyes swiftly but nearly burning a hole through the fabric of my robes.

"Oh really? Well who's around now to see me? Besides, I think they'd make a bigger deal of you and me sitting together in broad daylight." Draco retorted. He didn't like being treated like a child; that much was obvious.

Although I was still upset at him for skipping his classes and missing out on all the wonderful things that he could've learned about magic today, Draco was right. What would someone think if they saw us here together, lounging in the grass, looking like a couple more than anything else? This view to any gossipy Hogwarts student would suffice to give birth to vicious rumors and comments.

"Right", I muttered, grabbing my bag and standing up. The cold air swished underneath my skirt as I did, and my legs trembled at the sudden change of temperature. I wished I could've stayed on the warm, charmed ground with him, but I knew better than that. Lunch would be starting soon, and that meant students would definitely be crossing our path. A sudden tug at the hem of my robes surprised me, and I looked down to see Draco lightly grasping a fistful of my robes in a pale slender hand.

"Stay. I didn't say that so you could leave." He said grumpily and assertively. Draco's voice was gentle yet curt, and as I looked into his eyes, I saw that he really didn't want me to leave. Contrary to what had come out of his mouth, his eyes claimed to say, "_Stay, I didn't say you could leave." _

Although his voice was domineering, Draco looked like a small child looking up at a parent with wide eyes. He was just trying to get his way, and I knew this well. I gazed down at him, and he dropped his hold on my robes. Tentatively, I reached out and brushed away a stray blonde hair that had been picked up by the wind, and smoothed it back into place on his head.

"I know. See you Friday." I smiled, before turning away from him and heading back towards the castle. I didn't look back to see Draco stare curiously at the back of my head.

So much for a bit of light reading.

VVVVV

Classes were boring the last week of school, I had decided.

Especially, Ancient Runes.

"Do you know the answer, Miss Granger?" Professor Babbling inquired, asking her to answer one of the many questions I hadn't been listening to.

"Of course", Hermione exclaimed clearly. "The Chimaen artifacts had been discovered in 1903 by a man named Professor Tidings, who currently resides here in the castle as a ghost on the third floor."

"Correct. Five points to Gryfinndor."

I watched as Hermione's face flushed in apparent pleasure. Of course she had gotten the answer right. Around me, many of my peers groaned or huffed silently in disdain, and had it been any other year, I would have joined them. I didn't care about the points now. Those hadn't mattered to me since Sixth Year, and during such a boring class as this one, I took pleasure in watching Hermione work, sometimes scribbling furiously onto the crevices of her already filled parchments, or just listening attentively and asking numerous, numerous questions.

Something else that I had noticed was that she _always_ sat in the front of the class.

I didn't feel creepy watching her – why would I, it was perfectly fine to observe someone, but when she would look back and see me watching her, I always wondered why she didn't seem uncomfortable with it. Of course, I only stared at her on the boring days, such as this one.

"Astonishing, isn't it, how Granger always gets the answers right? Funny really, seeing how she hasn't an _ounce_ of magical blood in her veins. Or in her hair for that matter. Maybe if she did, it'd be tamer." Zacharias Smith sniggered behind me.

Ignoring the urge to turn around and tell him off until he cried, I quietly slipped my wand out of my robes and sent a mild pinching jinx at him. Upon hearing his sudden yelp, I smirked as everyone in the class turned to see the Hufflepuff cradling his left foot, wincing.

Professor Babbling turned as well, cutting his lecture short to question him. "Is there a problem, Mr. Smith?" He asked, and I had to rest my head on my hand to cover the giant smirk plastered on my face.

"My foot Professor! There's something wrong with my foot!" He moaned, although the pain wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be. "I have to go to the Hospital Wing!" Zacharias babbled.

Huffing, the Professor sent him on his way, making Hannah Abbott accompany him. I smirked, turning back to the class with a look of utmost satisfaction. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a curly haired head turn in my direction. Looking over, Hermione's eyes met mine, and I watched as her mouth shaped into a perfect little 'o'. I smirked, and with a wink in her direction, finally turned to pay attention to the lecture in front of me.

I smiled mischievously.

This class wasn't so bad after all.

VVVVV

Hello loves! This chapter was a little shorter than the others, but that's only because I have to save up for the next chapter! ;D! This was kind of just a cute fill in to cover the week. I'm sorry I haven't been able to update more often, but I'm trying my best! I have a few questions for you!

**Do you think Hermione heard Zacharias's comment? If so, do you think she'll confront Draco about the pinching jinx?**

**Which character do you prefer and why? Draco or Hermione? **

**What are some things that I could improve on to make this story better? **

**What would you like to see happen in this story? **

**How do you think Draco and Hermione are progressing? (This goes for the story as well!)**

You don't have to answer all of them, but answering one or a few of them would really help and give me inspiration for the next upcoming chapters**! Please feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticisms!** Love to all! X


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter. That would be boss. Fortunately, J.K. Rowling owns everything but my plot!

Ch. 35

"And where exactly does this go?" I asked Hermione, holding up a large tome on the thesis of Horn-backed dragons. It was nearly thicker than a man's thigh! Hermione turned and dismissed it before going back to folding clothes into her suitcase.

"Just put it back in the shelf. I've already packed all of the books I'm going to need." She assured me, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Why she didn't just use her wand, I didn't know.

I grinned at her Muggle habit, but nonetheless, decided not to bring it up.

"But why would you need books when you're going to be spending all of your time with me?" I quirked. Hermione laughed.

"There's always time for a bit of light reading!"

"We'll see about that. You won't be able to keep away from me for too long." I winked. It was just too easy to flirt with her, and to see Hermione getting all hot and bothered was all the reaction I would ever need. Her eyebrows rose crossly.

"Is that a challenge?" She asked hotly, the edge of smile blossoming on the upper edge of her lip.

"No", I answered coolly, "It's the _truth_."

Hermione closed her suitcase and plopped down onto her bed, surveying me from where I stood by her bookshelf.

"You know Draco Malfoy; sometimes you're just too damn proud." She sighed, and I laughed.

"I'm sure you wouldn't want me any other way!"

Hermione paused for a moment. "No. Probably not." She admitted. "But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy your nice, sweet side!"

I scoffed. "Like what? I'm not a sugar coated ball of fluff!"

Hermione grinned. "Well what about yesterday in class?" She teased. "I know Zacharias's toe didn't just magically pinch jinx itself." She stated slyly, arms crossed.

The words that had about to emerge from my throat were suddenly nowhere to be found. Was there even a point in trying to deny it? Lying to the smartest witch of the age seemed a bit futile.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Draco!"

I rolled my eyes at her determination to get me to fess up.

"Looks like you're all packed up. Should I get going then?"

"Draco!"

"Alright, fine!" I stated sulkily. "I hexed him! But it was just a mild stinging jinx! I didn't think the tosspot would start a whole bloody protest about it!"

Hermione fixed a stern gaze on me, like a mother reprimanding her child. "You still shouldn't have done it. You broke a school rule, you know." I scoffed.

"Is that what this is about?" I asked sarcastically. But Hermione didn't back down, nor did she answer me. Instead, she stood there for a small moment, looking down into her now unfolded hands. I didn't know whether to say something or not, but staying quiet seemed to be a better idea. I just stared at her as she reflected into her hands, listening as she exhaled weakly.

"Why did you do it?" She murmured, looking up at me, making me wish I hadn't. Her silence seemed to have disrupted something within my chest. Why did she always have to have such humility? She seemed so good and pure, always, and at times I wondered how she did it.

"Because he was saying harsh things…"

Her eyes snapped up to meet mine, warm and conflicted. "Why does it matter? You can't be so worried about what others think of me, Draco."

"I'm not, but that doesn't mean I'll stand by and let people talk about you that way!" I told her firmly. Why couldn't she understand that I cared?

"What does it matter? You've let them do it all of these years, one comment shouldn't faze you. This isn't first year, I'm over it." Hermione replied bitterly, shrugging.

Guilt surged through my body, bringing goose bumps to my forearms and the back of my neck. Visions of me tormenting Hermione renewed themselves, and it was almost as if I was there again.

"Sorry", Hermione muttered, standing up and walking over to me. I looked away. I couldn't look at her; for fear that the shame in my eyes might be too visible. Unable to stop myself, I made a blind grab for her shoulder, bringing her closer to me so that her body framed mine, although not quite hugging me. I could feel her breath on my shoulder. There was silence, until I broke it.

"Not more than I am."

VVVVV

"Alright!" Professor Dumbledore bellowed, his wand pointed to his throat to enhance the effect of the Sonorous charm. "Everyone stand by their House Professors! The faster you do so, the faster you will be on the train home!"

Following the direction that the Headmaster's amplified voice had given, hundreds of students began to shuffle towards their House teachers. I however, already first in line as the Head Girl, stayed put where I was, directly behind Professor McGonagall.

"Hurry everyone! Hannah, you know you're in Hufflepuff, so get over there!" I yelled over the throng of students. To my satisfaction, McGonagall gave a satisfied nod in my direction. After it was clear that everyone was settled into their groups, I scanned the students as we waited outside of the castle. My eyes drifted over to where the Slytherins stood behind Professor Snape and Professor Slughorn, most of them chatting boisterously while a small lot of them stood quietly, either muttering to each other or reading quietly.

One of the quiet ones, to my surprise, was Pansy Parkinson herself.

Alone, she sat in the small crevice of the castle wall behind her, her dark silky hair tied up in a haphazard braid at her back. As I watched her, I took into consideration how pale she looked. It wasn't her normal, perfectly creamy complexion, but instead, a dry, ashy tone. I also took in the bags underneath her eyes, and the purplish tinge in her lips. In her thin hands, was a small journal, which she was scribbling into calmly, her quill taking long, languid strokes. Her friends stood beside her, caught in different conversations while she sat quietly to herself, only glancing upwards every few minutes to reply to one of their comments.

Despite her almost sickly appearance, she was still beautiful. In fact, much more beautiful than I could ever wish to be…but wasn't that obvious? Comparing my obnoxious curls to Pansy's long silky hair was all the comparison I needed. Looking away from her, I scanned the crowd for Draco but didn't find him, not even as I looked in the direction of Blaise and Daphne, who were close together in a frenzy of shushed kisses and murmurs. I had even looked in the direction of Crabbe and Goyle, who were snickering and poking fun at first years –

"Hermione!" A familiar voice shrieked, and before I could turn my head, I was ambushed by a wave of red hair.

"Ginny!" I laughed, hugging her back. Looking for Draco had made me completely forget to look for my friends in the mob of students. Ginny pulled away and looked me over.

"Mione, I'm going to miss you so much! I'll be surrounded by boys for two whole weeks! Who will I have to vent to when I'm going through girl issues?"

I smirked, a habit that had been bestowed unto me rather nontraditionally by Draco. "Well at least there'll be one boy you'll want to spend time with" I stated, wiggling my eyebrows to where Harry stood talking to Seamus not too far away. Ginny didn't even have the decency to blush, but instead, slapped my shoulder.

"Shut up! Are you sure you won't come over? I'm sure it would be perfectly fine, and Harry and I would help you stay out of Ron's way –"

My face hardened at her brother's name. Stay out of his way? I didn't have the slightest hope that that could actually work. The whole family was constantly together, and only two of the members knew of me and Ron's position, Ginny, and Ron himself! What would happen when we would have to exchange words, or sit beside each other at dinner? There would no doubt be questions, and I was in no way ready for that. My stomach churned and I nearly became queasy at the thought of the teasing that we would get from Fred and George…

"Ginny, you know that wouldn't work", I sighed, and when a heartbroken look crossed her face, I grabbed her hand. "I promise to write you. And you can write me whenever you'd like!"

Ginny nodded somewhat grimly. "I guess so. You wouldn't happen to have the Floo Network connected to your house, would you?"

I shook my head, but before I could reply with another solution, the train whistled in the distance, and everyone began to move. Quickly, I ushered Ginny back to her group, before turning back to lead the front of the line behind McGonagall.

"I'll see you on the train!" Ginny exclaimed, before going to her spot about 20 yards away.

The walk to the school's train station was about fifteen minutes to half an hour on foot, but halfway the teachers would pair up the students and take them to the station using side-along apparition. It was a bit hard to walk and direct people in the right direction while they chatted and joked around with their friends, and as much as I loved being a leader, it was even harder to not give into the temptation of finding my friends and talking to them. And where was Draco? Inside, my chest sank at the thought of him deciding to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays.

I shook my head firmly. No way, he had already packed! Slowly, I convinced myself that there would be plenty of time to look for him and converse with friends on the train.

Halfway to our destination, my ankles began to hurt, and I paused to set an ache releasing charm on my feet. The students clambered on, and as I waited for the charm to proceed, I could've sworn I felt something brush against my arm down to the tips of my fingers.

My lips pursed and I turned to see if anyone had accidentally brushed against me, but everyone had already moved ahead! A few people lingered behind, fooling around between the trees on the path, but they couldn't have possibly…

"You three, catch up with the group before you're left behind!" I warned them. The three students, two boys and a girl scowled, but nonetheless followed my orders. Once they passed me, I hung back to make sure that no other students had fallen behind, and before I knew it, I was alone, surrounded by nothing but dense trees and shrubs. Pulling out my wand, I decided it would be best to turn back before –

"Lost?" A well-known voice drawled, and before I knew it, a hand clasped onto mine.

I yelped, and looked down, but there was no hand or any kind of body part in view. Draco laughed, and in a moment, he was visible.

"What are you doing!" I hissed, yanking my hand out of his, but he was too busy laughing to notice. Draco nearly doubled over in peals of laughter. While waiting for him to finish, I observed him, realizing that I had never seen him break into more than a great smile. Now, in the moment, he seemed different, not only in appearance but in aura. I decided that if I took in his visage now, I could store it in my mind, just in case it never happened again. Slowly, I took mental pictures of the way his eyes crinkled at the sides with each laugh, how a brilliant grin remained on his face…

Draco paused, an eyebrow raised inquisitively. "Why are you smiling?" He asked me, and my breath caught in my throat. I hadn't realized I had been. I shrugged.

"Well it was kind of funny", I admitted, not wanting to say something stupid like, _"because when you smile, you make me smile"_, or something equally cheesy.

Draco smirked. "Well of course it was, you nearly jumped out of your knickers!"

I ignored his witty remark. What was more important to me was finding out how he had managed to follow me all this way and escape the students and professors views.

"Have you been following me this whole time, Draco Malfoy?" I quirked, going back to the habit of crossing my arms. He saw this and tsk-tsked.

"Not the whole time" Draco replied in earnest, smiling mischievously. "I happened to see you stop, and figured it was my duty as the Head Boy to –"

"Nonsense!" I laughed. "Why won't you just admit that you were following me?"

"Because I wasn't!"

"Were too!"

"Was not! Merlin, Hermione, you really can be a bit childish at times", Draco remarked starkly. Rolling my eyes, I began to walk back to the group of students. How strange would it look if Draco and myself –both self proclaimed enemies – got caught hanging back from the group? That also sprouted another question, and I looked to Draco as he walked beside me.

"How did you make yourself invisible? I'm sure people have noticed you're gone by now", I asked, and I wasn't surprised to see a smug smirk grace Draco's features.

"Simple disillusionment charm, with a little twist", He replied proudly. My eyebrows rose.

"Twist?"

Draco grinned and pointed to the group of students ahead of us. At first, I didn't know what, or who he was pointing to. But that was until I realized an equally tall, pale, platinum blonde boy walking amongst the midst of other students, dressed in the exact same black suit as Draco himself. I gasped.

"Draco! –"

"Undetectable illusion-distraction charm." He replied, beaming roguishly, obviously proud of his work. But how had he known such magic? Even I had never tried to attempt the spell, if done wrong there were disastrous after effects.

"Close your mouth, Hermione. It's not ladylike." Draco stated, before beginning to walk again. I caught up to him, baffled.

"But how did you –?"

"You didn't think I was capable of such magic, did you? I'm the second smartest student in all of Hogwarts, and if you didn't attend, I'd probably have the first spot." Draco said, his expression turning oddly cynical. I hadn't realized that being second best was still a sore spot for him.

"Places don't matter, Draco! And I was just shocked…" I blabbered. Draco smirked for what seemed to be the trillionth time in the few short minutes that I had been talking to him.

"Why?" He quirked knowingly. Why was it that he always seemed to be one step ahead?

"Because…I haven't even tried to…too dangerous…" I muttered, looking away to meet fake Draco's back. Real Draco chuckled.

"A Gryfinndor calling something dangerous? Doesn't that ring a bell…and I can't believe that _you_ of all people wouldn't want to try one of the most difficult extension charms in existence!"

"I do want to try it!" I insisted stubbornly, not wanting him to think I wasn't interested in the subject. Of course I was! And the fact that he had mastered made me rethink his magical ability. Sure, I had known he was smart, but that was pretty powerful magic he was dealing with.

"I would try it if it wasn't hazardous _and _against school rules! –"

"You're scared", Draco interrupted bluntly. "Maybe I could teach you when we get back to Hogwarts."

Inwardly, I was becoming a sloppy pile of flobberworm goop. Draco wanted to teach me the spell? Somehow it was intriguing yet insulting. We walked on behind the group for a few moments before I answered.

"He's missing a finger, you know." I mused quietly, pointing ahead to fake Draco. As real Draco followed my finger, he no doubt saw that on the right hand of his creation, there was a missing middle one. Draco scowled, and it was my turn to laugh.

"Miss Granger! Stop laughing and return to your group!" McGonagall called out after hearing my laugh. I froze beside Draco as a few students turned around. I waited for the shocked look on their faces to appear at seeing me and Draco together, or for McGonagall to say "You too, Mr. Malfoy", but neither came.

"Close call, huh?" Draco said, as I began to sheepishly make my way back to where I had originally started.

"Definitely", I agreed still slightly wary that Draco and I were walking towards a throng of people inches away from each other and talking nonetheless. "I wonder why anybody hasn't said anything about you talking to me", I quirked curiously.

Draco grinned naughtily, and I lost the feeling in my knees.

"Funny story about that, actually…"

I slowed down. "What could possibly be funny about being seen in broad daylight with you?"

As I stood there, his grin became ever larger and more mischievous in size. "Well…for one thing, I'm still very much invisible to the outside eye."

Realization hit me like two ton truck, and I nearly punched him as I had done in Third Year. Had that meant I had looked like I was talking to myself for the past ten minutes?

_Bloody hell. _

Huffing, I went to turn back to him, desperately wanting to laugh and stomp on his foot at the same time.

"Draco Malfoy, you prat! –"

But he wasn't there. The ruddy idiot had vanished!

"Draco Malfoy, I swear if you don't show up within two seconds I'll report you to Dumbledore!" I hissed venomously, trying extra hard now not to find any comedic virtue in the situation. Draco scoffed from behind me, but it was only his voice.

"Miss Granger, no dilly-dallying!" McGonagall stated sternly. I bowed my head sheepishly and took the order.

"Coming!" I said, starting again towards my original spot within the group. I did however, take a mad swipe to the air in the process, and became satisfied when my hand smacked into something hard, and I heard the contact of skin on skin. Draco was thick if he'd thought he was going to get away with his stupid little scheme just like that.

"Ouch! Bloody hell, Granger –"

But I didn't give him the chance to retaliate in any way. Instead, I turned on my heel, and with a smirk, made my way to the front of the line again.

"Sorry Professor McGonagall. Just needed to take care of a few students acting out of line." I smiled vehemently, and as she curtly nodded and turned her back to me again, I felt a refreshing sense of victory.

Vengeance really _was _sweet.

VVVVV

"Hermione!" Lavender called out, catching me before I had managed to snag a seat on the train. "Come sit with us!"

Looking around, I saw that there weren't many other options besides Lavender, Parvati, and Padma. I had already seen Harry and Ginny settle in with Ron, who surprisingly wasn't with Sylvia. I had nearly taken a double take upon seeing that she wasn't snuggled into his lap. Perhaps she knew that I wasn't the only one that didn't approve of the relationship. You couldn't really call Ginny or Harry a fan of hers either.

Turning to her, I put on a smile and trudged along. "Sure."

VVVVV

"What's on your mind, mate?" Blaise wondered from his seat across from mine in our booth on the train. "You seem a bit nervous?"

I cleared my throat, managing to tear my eyes away from the landscape that was rushing by in the window. Not even thirty minutes on the train and Blaise was already asking questions? He had never commented on how I looked on the way home before.

Except this time I wasn't going home, and I had a sick sense that he knew it.

"I'm just tired. And you can't expect me to look happy, can you? I'm going back to the Manor for Christ sakes."

Blaise's lips upturned into a small, contradictory smirk. "One would think you'd be happy to see your Mum. After all, you haven't seen her since the summer."

Guilt rushed through like water through an open faucet at the thought of my mother. No matter the situation, she had always looked out for me, and here I was choosing a Muggle vacation over her? It would be better for her if I didn't stay for the entirety of the break. Besides, this way, it wouldn't be as her hard on her when I left.

"I could say the same for you."

Blaise chuckled, shaking his head at my defiance. "But at least I've written to my mother."

Suddenly, I found myself becoming frustrated with him. I wasn't used to Blaise poking and prodding so much at my business – or anyone for that matter! And why he was choosing now of all times to do so, I had no idea. Didn't he understand that I wouldn't give up the information he wanted? Or perhaps I was over thinking it.

_Yes, that was probably it. Too much pressure was all this was…_

When I didn't answer, Blaise seemed to have gone a tad sheepish. "Sorry, too far. And if you like, you're welcome to come on the trip with me and Mum."

Sighing slightly, I turned back to the window, trying to recollect my thoughts. "No, that's alright. You and your Mum have fun on your trip to Amsterdam."

Blaise chuckled. "Switzerland, Draco."

I grinned, but before I could reply, the door to our booth slid open, and Daphne entered, clad in a stylish army green jacket and extremely tight black jeans. It wasn't the clothes that caught me however; but the expression on her face. By the way she was looking at Blaise; it was almost as if I wasn't there! Blaise also only had eyes for her, and I knew that if I didn't leave as soon as possible, I would witness certain activity that no one needed to see performed on their best friend. Clearing my throat, I got up and began to head for the door.

Daphne turned to see me leave, her heart shaped face framed beautifully by her long, silky, chestnut hair. "Oh, hello Draco!" She smiled. "Leaving so soon?"

Her hazel eyes met mine, and immediately went back to Blaise's dark ones. Obviously, it was time for me to leave. Smiling, I shook my head and slid open the door.

"Yeah, I think I need some air. But don't let that stop you two from having fun." I smirked, taking great pleasure at seeing Blaise scowl and Daphne go pink even under her tan skin.

"We will!" was all I heard before I slid the door shut and began to venture out into the hall. It wasn't surprising, what those two would be up to by now. In Blaise's book, there always time for a quick fool around. Nonetheless, I was happy for him. It had been months since Blaise had last had any romantic interest in a girl, and that had been because of Tracey Davis. It seemed that he was finally over being heartbroken, whether he showed it or not.

Daphne made him happy. Perhaps she would become his next girlfriend – and a steady one at that.

Too way into my thoughts, I didn't take into consideration that there could've been someone else at the end of the corridor, and before I knew it, I had smashed into someone quite harshly.

"Oh, sorry!"

"It's alright, I wasn't looking." I admitted.

Hermione looked up at me for a moment, before grabbing a fistful of my robes and pulling me rather violently into the nearest compartment.

VVVVV

"What the ruddy hell was that for?" Draco exclaimed as I shut the door to the compartment. Well I suppose I had pulled him quite aggressively.

"Sorry, _again_." I said hurriedly, shutting the curtains and turning to face him. He was standing in the center of the small space, looking quizzical. "I needed –"

"Needed me so badly you couldn't wait till we got to your house? We can start here, but I'm warning you, these seats aren't the most comfortable." Draco smirked smugly, giving me a once over. I ignored the shiver that it sent down my back and with a glare, proceeded.

"_No._ Dean Thomas was actually coming around the corner and I needed to…hide."

Well it was true! I had spotted him over Draco's tall shoulder, and I had had no other choice! Draco tsk- tsked.

"You know, every time I see you, your value as a Gryfinndor seems to be getting less and less. Why would you be hiding from Dean Thomas?" He drawled, settling down onto the cushioned bench, as if to sleep. He propped his head against the side of the window. Sighing, decided to take the seat opposite him.

"It's complicated as you know, but long story short, he's been trying to get another date with me since the ball." I had already informed Draco of what had happened on the night of the ball, but he didn't know that Dean had constantly been trying to pursue me. Sure, it seemed stupid. All of the girls of Hogwarts would kill for a date with him – and here I was complaining about him being interested in me? Dean was a nice guy, but there seemed to be something he lacked whenever I was with him. I supposed our chemistry was only strong when we were drunk. Something hardened in Draco's face as I told him, and his eyes became steely blank slates.

"Well, what's wrong with that? He seems like a perfectly nice guy for you." He said, and although it looked as if he were looking at me as he spoke, I knew he really wasn't. I wondered why he seemed almost…envious. But that was nonsense, I thought after a moment. Why would he be envious of a guy that wanted to have me out?

"He is…but I can't really see it working out." I muttered. Draco stared at me blankly, waiting for me to complete my sentence. Staring at the carpeted floor while I listened to the train move across the tracks, I wondered how Draco always knew what to say and what _not _to say. He was a good listener when he wanted to be.

"And there's really no point in giving him a go anyways…looking back I realize…I was never really into him, you know? I was just trying to make Ron jealous. There was no spark. I don't want to lead him on, but I can't bring myself to say no to him. Besides, he'll see I'm not as great as the girls he could get." I finished bitterly.

Expression came back into Draco's eyes, and he righted himself in his seat, turning to face me. "Do you mean to say you're not as good, if not better? You're brilliant, Hermione."

Hearing his words and the way he had said them – so passionate and defensive – made me blush, and something very close to pleasure coursed through my insides. For a moment, with his gaze still on me while the only noise in the small compartment was the train rumbling across the tracks, his compliment seemed to be the only thing that mattered. I didn't know what to say.

"Thank you", I murmured, and I couldn't help but smile. Looking up at him from behind my lashes, I saw that Draco himself looked torn between being pleased with himself and surprised. The bench creaked as he shifted.

"You're welcome." Draco shrugged. Wasn't it a bit too late to be nonchalant? I wanted to muse, but it had been a sentimental moment, and those were rare with Draco. Not wanting to let the silence linger on, I immediately cleared my throat.

"So what's the plan on getting you to leave with me without every student of Hogwarts seeing?" I asked, and before I had caught sight of Dean, that had been the question that I had been initially planning on asking him. I had been worrying about it ever since we had gotten on the train!

Draco's brows furrowed together for a moment, and I realized his facial expression was similar to the one he wore while working diligently on something at school. "Well I was thinking we use another one of my disillusionment charms." He grinned, and the thought of the prank he had pulled on me earlier reappeared.

"So I'll look like some crazy witch who talks to herself? Fine, we'll use _your_ spell, but I'm not talking to you on the way. Mind you, once we're out of the station, you'll have to remove the charm –"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Draco laughed. "I think someone's still a little sore from the walk over?" He teased, and I stuck my tongue out at him. "Don't worry. We'll figure it all out when we get there, and we almost are."

Nodding, I grabbed my bag and hoisted it onto my lap. "I have a surprise for you." I said quietly, and Draco's eyes shone in interest as he glanced down at the bag.

"Oh, really?"

Smiling, I reached into my bag, pulled out _'The__ Whisper of the Night by Gredaculus Scrunch'_, and plopped it onto Draco's lap. He stared at me wordlessly.

"I never returned it to the library." I smiled, feeling the strange urge to giggle. Draco looked at the tome as if he had never seen it before, but I knew he definitely hadn't forgotten it. That book had led to our truce, which had now spurted into a full blown friendship. I wondered what else the book would be able to do…

"Yeah, I can see that", Draco mused as his fingers brushed against its large, faded spine. "We never did quite get to finish our experiment."

Flashbacks of our little "experiments" soared into my mind at his comment, I nearly blushed again. I wondered if there would be any repeats during the break. I ached to feel the sharpness that came with his kisses again. Too bad Draco would never find out about my thoughts…

"That's why I brought the book along with me. We'll have loads of time." I said slyly. Somehow, this conversation was starting to take a completely different route, and I couldn't help but feel a flush as Draco smirked. "That is…if you're up for it."

"If you are", Draco grinned mischievously, obviously planning devious thoughts behind those blue-grey eyes, "Then definitely."

VVVVV

Getting off the train, I didn't have the slightest idea what would happen during the break, or what Hermione and I had just talked about. It had been a light yet odd conversation, although heavily tinged with certain…no, never mind. I was imagining things.

I had made sure to say goodbye to Blaise and the rest of my friends as quickly as I could without it seeming suspicious before casting the disillusionment charm over myself. Standing alone in a small booth while others bounded off the train – eager to see long awaited family members, I felt a cooling sensation pass from the very first strand of hair on my head down to the tips of my toes. Shaking off the feeling, I took one glance into the window, and when I saw no reflection, I began to make my way into the hall. There was hardly anyone on the train anymore, just a few stragglers kissing their girlfriends and boyfriends goodbye. I desperately wanted prank on them, but I had more important matters to attend to.

By now, Hermione would be waiting for me on platform nine and three quarters, waiting to introduce me to her parents…and I was…nervous?

I supposed I was. After all, this would be the first pure Muggle encounter that I would have, and it would be with the parents of the girl that I had tormented for years! But that didn't mean I was going to turn back. I wouldn't hurt Hermione like that, nor would I be able to see the look on her face if I had told her I wanted to take a rain check.

Getting off of the train as discreetly as I could –even though I was invisible– I rolled my unseen luggage out of the exit and surveyed my surroundings. The natural hustle and bustle of the train station seemed to have increased by hundredfold as hundreds of students found their way to their parents and began to embrace them wholeheartedly. Some were even crying! Indifferent to the emotions around me, I began to scan the platform for Hermione, and when I found her, my stomach plummeted like a fifty ton weight.

Not far off, Hermione stood with her back to me, chatting amiably with Dean Thomas himself. I could tell she was just being polite and responding, but something about the way he was looking at her irked me the same way it had when she had told me about him on the train only an hour prior. As Dean spoke to her, he began to inch closer and closer. From my angle, I saw Hermione smile graciously, looking slightly uncomfortable. While Dean was still talking, I decided it would be a great moment to intervene.

Walking over to them and standing beside Hermione, close enough that if she had reached a hand out to make a gesture she would've touched me, I decided to see what Dean had to say, all the while fighting off the strange feeling that was growing within me.

"So, I know we haven't really talked since we made up…but I got to thinking a few nights ago", Dean said as he flashed Hermione a giant grin, "And you still owe me a date."

_Owed him?_ Who the hell did he think he was?

Hermione nearly blushed at his request, and had it been any other time but this one I would've laughed as she muttered, "I guess so."

Dean only came closer, smiling like an idiot. Something quite close to rage surged through me now, and I vowed to get even at the next Quidditch game.

"So maybe we could hang out during break or something? Maybe go around London for a day…" –

I had forgotten. Thomas was a half-blood.

"That would be nice, but I'll be quite busy during the break, actually", Hermione stated, smiling back now. I didn't care that she was smiling at Dean. All I cared about was that she was planning to spend all of her time with me.

Why was I caring so much? Was I just being my selfish, possessive self, or did it really matter to me who Hermione went out on dates with, or if she went on them at all?

"Oh really now?" Dean Thomas grinned, glancing down. "Too busy with other dates to make time for me?"

_Precisely_, I wanted to add, but instead, I slipped my hand into Hermione's free one just as I had on the way to the train, and watched with satisfaction as she jumped in surprise.

If there was ever a perfect moment to make my presence known, then this was it.

Hermione laughed nervously, her eyes darting down to where her hand was being held by my undetectable one. If she had seen my smirk at that moment, she would've slapped me without a doubt.

"Definitely not." She stammered, and I almost felt guilty for embarrassing her this way. But as I looked at Dean, the feeling vanished. I needed to show him…

Show him _what_, exactly?

What the hell was wrong with me? I wondered. Here I was, grasping a girls hand all because of a guy that wanted a date with her?

Why was I becoming so protective? I shouldn't have even been caring! But still, I couldn't bear the fact that Dean wanted Hermione.

Was I really just being the protective friend?

"I have to go now, Dean, my parents are here." Hermione stated a little too roughly, and before I could wonder why, she squeezed my fingers a little more than she should have. Pain ached through my digits like fire, but she didn't stop there. A fingernail was very close to piercing skin. Of course, to Dean it would've looked like nothing more than a simple fist clench.

If only he knew! I could already hear Hermione's stern warnings. Why hadn't I learned the first time? Biting my lip to keep from hissing in pain I waited out the duration of her conversation with Dean as they said goodbye and parted ways.

"Cool. I'll owl you then?" Dean asked, looking awfully hopeful. He clearly liked Hermione, and as she smiled in return, I seethed slightly even through my pain.

"Okay! Bye, Dean!" Hermione said cheerfully, and before she could say another thing, he had swooped down and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Bye." Dean murmured, before smiling largely again and walking away to join Seamus and a few other people that I didn't care about. As soon as he had left, Hermione, who had seemed to have forgotten I was present, brought her free hand up to touch her cheek, the faintest trace of a smile still plastered to her face.

"Well that was disgustingly sweet to watch", I sneered, and she instantly snapped out of her reverie.

"You!" Hermione exclaimed furiously, heat shining in her eyes. "You foul, evil, little –"

"Cockroach? Wow, creative." I exclaimed sarcastically, and Hermione glared. Halfway through, however, she seemed to have caught herself and grabbed my raw hand again before starting to drag me along through the platform. There were multiple people that passed us, and hurried goodbyes were exchanged before we ended up in the parking lot. Settling us between a secluded area of tall potted plants, Hermione released me and grabbed her wand. As she pointed it at my face, there was a small moment where I thought she would hex me!

"_Revelio_"_,_ Hermione muttered. We were among everyday Muggles now, and if we were to do magic, it would have to be done discreetly and quietly. As soon as she had uttered the words, I was revealed again, and the first thing she did was slap my arm. "You're a ruddy prat, you know that?" Hermione sighed, and I grinned mischievously. I could see a hint of a laugh threatening to break through her lips.

"Of course. And apparently you love it since you can never seriously be mad at me."

Hermione laughed quietly. "You're really pushing your luck."

"Don't I always?" I murmured, eyebrows raised in all seriousness. Hermione didn't laugh this time, for her eyes had caught sight of my hand. She touched it gingerly, and when I hissed, her eyes looked nearly glassy as they met mine.

"Draco…I'm sorry –"

"Don't be. I was being a jerk." I muttered, looking down at where a series of raw scratches decorated my hand. "Now I know not to mess with you." I joked, trying to lighten her up. We had been having a violent hand war while she had been talking to Dean, and no matter how hard she squeezed, I hadn't been able to hurt her back. Immediately, she pulled her wand out again and the marks disappeared. Hermione's magic was quick and healing, and my hand looked good as new. "Thanks", I smiled, and this time she smiled too. Through the bushes, Hermione caught something that interested her view.

"You're welcome. Now let's go meet my parents." She said excitedly, and she kept my hand as she led us out of the thicket. I didn't mind. My hand was thoroughly larger than hers, and her petite fingers latched onto mine as we dragged our luggage out too. There was no one from Hogwarts in view as they had chosen to apparate from within the train station. As Hermione searched the parking lot for her parents "car", nerves pulsed through my veins like adrenaline.

What would Hermione's parents be like? Did she look like them? Would they like me?

"There!" Hermione exclaimed as she pointed to a navy "car" with a brown haired man and woman standing beside it. They were waving furiously, and Hermione responded with equal enthusiasm before squeezing my hand and beginning to lead us over to them. They weren't too far off into the parking lot, and as we made our way towards them, Hermione looked up at me. She looked extremely happy, and so I gave her with a small smile.

"Nervous?" She wondered, looking up at me with excitement, her chocolate brown eyes shining with joy. I didn't answer however, but only took another glance at her parents, who were still waving at us. "Don't be. They're going to love you."

Hermione sounded sincere. "I trust you." I told her quietly. Looking at her parents, they seemed nice enough already. Once we were within hearing distance of them, Hermione dropped my hand and ran to her parents just like every other Hogwarts student had done on the platform. Following her, I walked to them with a small charming smile on my face. Malfoy manners were in full mode now. As I approached them, I took them into view.

Hermione hadn't told me much about her parents, only their names which were Brian and Jean, and their occupation, both dentists. As I surveyed them, I realized they seemed like undoubtedly kind people. Mr. Granger was taller than his daughter and wife, with graying brown hair and a kind face, while Mrs. Granger…–

Hermione had gotten almost all of her looks from her, I noticed. Mrs. Granger had neck length, extremely curly brunette hair and chocolate brown eyes like her daughter. There was also an air of liveliness about her, which I appreciated. She smiled at me wholeheartedly, as if I were her own son. The biggest difference between Hermione and her mother was the age and that Hermione seemed to possess more wit. Hermione reached for my hand as soon as I had reached them, and proceeded to introduce me, smiling brightly.

"Mum, Dad," Hermione beamed as she looked up at me, "This is Draco. Draco Malfoy."

VVVVV

Hey guys! So I know I haven't updated in the longest time, and I do apologize. Luckily, I've had a break which has allowed me to work on this chapter, which is probably the longest out of all of them! I wanted to make sure it was jam packed with things for you to enjoy, like a little flirtatious roughhousing with Draco and Hermione. Also, you got to see Draco's protective side. Thanks so much for the reviews, keep it up, they really inspire me! I also loved your reactions to the questions that I asked, so here are some more!

**Do you think Hermione's parents will like Draco? **

**What do you guys think of Dean? **

**Do you think something will happen between Dramione during the holidays? **

**Is Draco finally starting to realize he likes Hermione? **

Remember, you don't have to answer all of the questions, but any answers would be lovely! It really helps me with the story! **Also, feel free to leave comments, ideas, or reviews! Constructive criticism is also welcomed! **Love to all! X

P.S. A fan actually made a graphic for this story! If you'd like to see it, ask for the link! (:


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Draco Malfoy. Get in my bed…_damn._

Ch. 36

Meeting Hermione's parents hadn't been as difficult as I had thought it would be.

After a quick, yet wholesome and friendly greeting from both of her parents, Hermione and I had proceeded to put our luggage into their "car", and after a quick explanation from Hermione, we parted ways and found a small alleyway to Apparate discreetly.

We were now standing on a long, straight road, filled with large, pretty, sunlight houses. Recovering quickly from the sensation of having my lungs squeezed together, I looked around. The street was quiet, and behind us, a church bell ringed softly. Almost all of the houses were either painted white, made of brick, or were a combination of both, with dark green shrubs surrounding their entrances and crawling up their mailboxes.

Hermione sighed deeply beside me. "It feels so good to be back here." She said quietly, and I could tell that she was nothing except undeniably happy. The street was simple, but just looking at it made me feel cheerful and almost…

_At home. _

"Where are we?" I wondered aloud, and I watch Hermione's lips rise up in a small smile.

"Hampstead Garden Suburb, Heathgate." She exclaimed, still obviously moved by the feeling of returning to her hometown. I almost felt a twinge of jealous at her happiness. Countless times I had wished to feel this way for returning to the Manor, which was far grander than all of these houses, although they were all quite nice. Hermione began to walk, and I followed her.

"Well I supposed I would give you a tour – but I didn't want you getting freaked out in the car –", Hermione explained kindly, "So I figured I would give you one on foot." She smiled.

As much as I hadn't wanted to admit it, I had been a little intimidated by the "car".

Hermione turned on her heel, nearly business like in demeanor, and gestured towards the church that was not far off behind us. "That there, is St. Jude's Church", she explained, and I could still hear the excitement in her voice. "My parents were married there." Hermione sighed.

I turned too, and looked to where her finger met a large, rectangular building made purely out of brick. It was beautiful, surrounded by green with long pathways, very similar to the houses ahead of it. In the middle of the roof stood a tall pointy tower and I realized that the chiming bell hung there, large and bronze.

As we turned away from the church and made our way down the street, Hermione began expertly explaining nearly each house, including who lived in them. I had even managed to crack a few jokes, saying that she would make a good realtor.

Halfway down the street, Hermione hesitated then stopped completely. Her finger dropped, and I, who had been in mid-laugh, suddenly became quiet. It wasn't somber…just appreciative.

To the left, stood one of the most charming houses on the street, tall and proud in appearance yet completely homey and humble at the same time. High shrubbery lined the footpath, and an old, white mailbox stood a few feet away from me. Looking closely, I saw that a small purple handprint stained the white surface, flashing out expansively against the general tone and hue of the house and the houses surrounding it. Large, paned windows framed with ledges stood out against the brick of the house, largely in contrast with the black roof, and green vines crawled up the front side of the house.

Wordlessly, I knew that this was Hermione's house. All of the other houses seemed almost dim in comparison. Hermione turned to me and delicately touched my arm through my suit. "Welcome, Draco."

It was nearly as satisfying as hearing the words _'welcome home' _tumble out of her soft, pink lips. Suddenly, everything seemed almost intimate, and I felt myself bond with Hermione more than I had before. Looking at her now – she seemed different than how she had been on the train just a few hours prior, seemingly less uptight and serious. There was no other explanation other than it was because she was home. Hermione grabbed my hand and led me past the hand printed mailbox. I didn't even need to ask – I knew it was hers. Climbing up the three, low brick steps, we stood at the door, and Hermione let go of my hand as she fumbled –something I had never seen her do before – for the keys in her pockets. I wondered if she was nervous. I was, but I didn't think that I would ever admit that to her.

The door swung open, and curiosity overtook me almost immediately, along with surprise.

The entrance to the house was larger than I had thought. There was a long hallway, with shiny wood parquet and a small table where a vase with pretty flowers rested, along with a picture frame of Hermione, her mum, and her dad. Although it was dark, and we still hadn't stepped into the house, the warmth that emitted was soothing. Out of all of the warm colors inside and surrounding the house, a sharp, bright color caught my eye and I looked to left, where there was a little garden with small, potted plants. Among these, were the brightest, pinkest flowers I had ever seen. They almost seemed to glow.

Taking this to account made me realize the chilly air surrounding us even more. I looked at Hermione, and she grinned.

"Hydrangeas and foxgloves", Hermione smiled with pride. "I've been charming them for years with a permanent sustaining charm. The neighbors always ask about them."

"Wonder why?" I drawled softly, and she shook her head. Hermione's fingers brushed lightly against mine, and I ignored the weird flip that my stomach did…

"Want to come inside?" Hermione asked me, and had it been any other moment, I would've called it out as foolish, since we were going to be going in anyway. I nodded discreetly, and she smiled, taking my hand and leading me through the doorway.

Hermione hit the light switch with her free hand, and I looked around, the new surrounding seeming even more elegant in light, if that was possible. The hall led into large room with equally large windows, a bright yet warm light shining in. As we delved even deeper into the house, a theme occurred to me. The house had a main theme of warm tones, like dark reds, browns, blacks, and whites. Everything about the house was warm, the feel, the look, even the smell of it.

Hermione clutched at my hand, and sighed once more. I had never seen her look so relaxed.

"It just feels so good to be home, you know?" She exclaimed. I wish I could've told her I knew the feeling. Hermione seemed too into her surroundings to notice the tiny bitter look that tinged my eyes, but instead, smiled and said, "I think a tour is in order."

First, Hermione gave me a tour of the first floor, which included two bathrooms, a large, flawless, sparkling kitchen, a sitting room, a library (no doubt the first of many, it was Hermione's house after all), and a back entrance to the high fenced yard, which was filled with copious amounts of Hermione's colorfully charmed flowers, and a wide pool.

Next, was the second floor. There were also two bathrooms up here, and a small balcony at the back of one. She also showed me the guest room, where I would be staying. It was a classy room, cream walls, tall, curtained windows and a large, plush bed with pure white sheets. There was a polished wooden desk, and a strange, wide black square perched on a creamy white drawer set. At my befuddled expression, Hermione only laughed and shook her head. I nearly felt dumb.

"That's a television", she said expertly. "People watch other people on them…but we'll get to that later", Hermione assured me at the strange look on my face, before showing me the rest of the room. There was a fairly large closet, and a creamy colored rug rested on top on the wood floor. I also wasn't surprised to see that a small bookshelf rested beside the bed. All in all, it was a very comfortable, elegant room.

Hermione showed me around the rest of the second floor, which was just as endearing as the rest of the home, explaining here and there about certain appliances. Not long after showing me my room, she halted again, this time at a simple white door with a golden doorknob. The room was closed, and as she turned the doorknob, I wondered what would be behind it. The door swung open with a muffled creak, and I knew _exactly_ whose room it was.

Hermione's room was lavender and cream, with hints of light blue accessories. There was a queen size bed with a chestnut bedpost, comfy looking periwinkle comforters, and fluffy pillows. On the wall there was a large map, and a painting of purple flowers that I knew Hermione had painted herself, along with the only magical thing in the room – pictures of her, Ron, Harry, and Ginny laughing. A massive bookshelf nearly took up the right side of the room, chock full of books. There was also a white desk with a light blue armchair facing a large window with lavender curtains.

"This is my room." Hermione stated, her voice sounding oddly vacant. It was obvious that she too was slightly shocked at being back. Perhaps she was reminiscing. Everything looked so untouched.

"It's nice!" I piped up, trying to get her to talk. Hermione gave me a small smile.

"You're welcome whenever you want. Sorry if I'm acting weird, I just –"

"Don't apologize. It's been awhile since you've been back, hasn't it? Plus, it's a lot different from the Wizarding world, and –"

But I didn't get to finish my sentence however, because Hermione had halted me with a hug. Her arms hung against my hips, and I halted for a moment before wrapping my arms halfway around her. I wasn't sure if I should embrace her fully or not, and the strong urge to do so mixed with the strange plummeting feeling in my stomach wasn't helping.

"Thank you." Hermione murmured against my shoulder, and although I didn't know her reason for doing so, I decided to let the moment linger without any questions.

Exhaling, I brought her closer to me, the shifting of our clothing against each other's strangely comforting.

"You're welcome."

VVVVV

Waking up the next day felt like a culture shock.

Looking around at my surroundings felt strange, and I almost wondered if I was dreaming. What had been that horrendous ringing in my ears? And why was there so much purple? The rooms in Hogwarts tapestry covered walls…

Oh right. I was home.

_Home. _

A smile erupted on my face, and as I struggled sleepily out of the sheets, introducing my body to combination of chilly air and warm morning glow, I realized that Draco was only down the hall.

He had seemed so charming last night, especially with my parents at dinner, where they had finally gotten to get to know him a _lot _more. Mum absolutely adored him – she'd told me so when he had gone to set up his things, while dad just smiled and agreed. They seemed to like him well enough, but I could definitely tell that Mum had been more engaging with him. Perhaps Dad would just take a little longer to adjust to him…

Stretching, I walked into my bathroom, washed my face and brushed my teeth. My hair was still damp from the shower I had had last night, I noted sleepily, as the smell of vanilla and almond floated into my nostrils. I picked up the brush on my sink and ran it through my hair twice before exiting the bathroom. I checked the time.

Nine o'clock.

Would Draco be awake? I wondered. Perhaps he would be. I wouldn't want him getting lost in the house once he had woken up.

As I made my way to Draco's room down the hall, I wondered how he was adjusting. I wondered if he felt at home. Should I have asked him? I didn't know.

I reached for the doorknob as quietly as I could, but my hand faltered for a moment. Where were my manners? I should knock first.

Not wanting to startle him, I rapped at the door as softly as I could. When I didn't hear anything, even when I had softly called his name, I reached for the doorknob. There was a small creak as I stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind me until it clicked shut. Turning to face his bed, my breath caught in my throat.

Draco was still in bed. Asleep.

Shirtless.

'_Get a grip, Hermione!'_ I mentally scolded myself. Eyes still glued to his sleeping form, I nearly turned away. When had he gotten so…so…_attractive? _

No, that wasn't the word. Draco had always been attractive; every girl in Hogwarts could tell you that. But even sleeping, he was breathtaking. Creamy, ivory skin stood out against beige sheets, nearly swallowed by sunlight. His arms and torso were exposed, all toned, lean muscle, and as he exhaled, I saw his abs contract. And to think he had hid all of this under robes and the occasional black suit. Not that he didn't look great in those either.

Quidditch had done him well, I thought.

Shamefully, I shifted my eyes upwards, to his face. I was blushing hard, and I prayed that I would be able to face him without having the same hue as a ripe tomato. Draco's expression was peaceful and innocent looking, just as it had been that day in the Hospital Wing. I wondered if he was simply feigning sleep as he had that day. Swallowing my embarrassment among other things, and approached him. Up close, I could see that his hair had caught light from the sun flooding in the window, making small strands shine like spun gold. The sun had the same effect on his eyelashes as well.

Draco was breathing evenly, I noted, his chest rising with each steady breath. It seemed that he was asleep for real this time…but I still couldn't be sure…

"Draco?" I murmured softly, ignoring my urge to reach out and brush his tousled hair away from his forehead. "Draco."

Draco's eyes fluttered open on the second try, and I paused in my position. Grey hinted eyes stared up at me, still clouded with sleep. It was then that I realized that I was crouched halfway over him, clad in nothing but a light camisole and sleeping shorts. I nearly blushed again, and as he gazed up at me with a small smirk, an exhilarating feeling invaded my chest.

"Bloody Hell", Draco murmured, and I felt myself immediately become self-conscious.

"What?" I asked curiously, but he only grinned sleepily, pulled back his comforters, and crawled out of bed. I thanked Merlin then that I was resting against the bed, for my knees went weak as I watched him stretch.

When had he gotten so…gorgeous? I hated to admit it.

"Nothing." Draco replied cheekily after stretching. He was only wearing low slung, silk, black pajama pants. I sat on the edge of his bed as he entered his bathroom as I had done to freshen up. He emerged a few minutes later. I scoffed cockily, hoping to cover my blatant staring. I also hoped he wouldn't mention it, but judging by the mischievous, smug grin that traced his face, I could tell he was considering it.

"Took a few extra minutes to stare at yourself in the mirror?"

Draco smirked once more. "You should try it sometime." He shot back, and I couldn't help but laugh. It was obvious that he had no issues of being half naked in front of me. Had it been Harry or Ron, they would have cringed and darted for the nearest shirt. I got off the bed and decided that if Draco didn't have a problem with his outfit, then I shouldn't have a problem with mine.

"Come along then", I stated, uncrossing my arms. "I expect my parents are wanting to see us both before they set off for work."

I didn't miss the long glance that Draco shot at my chest. I turned away so that he wouldn't see me flush.

"Well I think we should both put on a bit more clothing in the mean time. Wouldn't want your parents getting the wrong idea, would we?" Draco teased. I didn't answer, but instead I only laughed and left, shutting the door behind me.

My heart fluttered in my chest at a million beats per second. I paused for a moment, my bottom lip caught in between my teeth as I questioned what had just happened.

Had it meant something? I didn't know, and I almost didn't want to.

All I could tell was that this was going to be a _very_ interesting holiday.

VVVVV

So the holiday has begun! Finally, right? I'm really excited to write the next upcoming chapters, this should be fun! If there's anything you'd like Draco and Hermione to do (activities) during the holidays, let me know! This chapter was a bit of a tease, yay for shirtless, sleepy, attractive Draco! Don't mind if I do ;D! **Feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticism!** Love to all! X


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

Ch. 37

After we had both showered and gotten dressed, Draco and I went downstairs to say good morning and apparently goodbye to my parents. They left shortly after, apologizing profusely for not eating breakfast with us –not that I had minded of course – but that they had to go because a patient had slipped on ice and mangled their two front teeth. I could still remember the shocked and utterly repulsed expression that had crossed Draco's face as my parents made their way hurriedly out the door. I only laughed, and proceeded to offer him some breakfast.

Sitting at the kitchen table across from me, Draco buttered and spread jam on his toast while I played with my cereal. Despite my efforts, I couldn't get the image of Draco shirtless out of my head. It was stupid and I knew it, but even then, it was a task for me to even look at him from across the table.

"Do you…err…need anything?" I stammered. Why was I even talking? I willed myself to get a grip, although it was a half-assed attempt. Just because I was slightly unnerved didn't mean I shouldn't show hospitality.

Draco smirked and looked up at me from buttering his toast with silver eyes. "No, thank you."

'_That bastard!'_ I thought as I kept my eyes glued to the butter knife that he proceeded to set down on his plate. The edge of it glinted in the sunlight. He knew I was working myself up over practically nothing, and here he was, reveling in it! I couldn't just let him think I was weak! I wasn't just one of those girls that swooned over his biceps and face and…and… –

"Just let me know if you do", I replied, spooning in a mouthful of cereal so that I would have something to do. Urgh, it had gotten soggy.

Draco nodded, wiping his hands aristocratically on a napkin. He seemed to have forgotten all about the incident by now.

More like he had dismissed it.

"So, any plans for today? I'm sure you have some horrible scheme in mind to get back at me for making so much fun of Muggles." Draco mused, and something strange happened in my chest. I tried to control the incredulous look on my face at his comment. This was one of those times where I couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. Forcibly, I swallowed the soggy cereal in my mouth, regretting it as I felt it dredge a path down my throat.

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"Fine, then I am."

"Draco." I murmured, pushing away the cereal bowl away from me.

"Hermione", he shushed back, and somehow, his voice was soothing. Draco grabbed my free hand from across the table. "I was joking, alright?"

I nodded, ignoring the prickly feeling shooting up through my body at the feel of his thumb brushing over my palm. My hand slid out of his, and I got up to put my bowl in the sink, dumping out its contents into the dispenser. The roar of it gave me a moment to myself. Why was I acting like this? It was Draco's first official day at my house in the Muggle world, and here I was, getting emotional over one of his sly comments? I decided I would think about it later.

Switching off the dispenser, I turned to Draco with a smile on my face. "What do you want to do today?"

Draco scoffed. "As if I know. What do Muggle teenagers usually do?"

I bit my lip, thinking. "Well…there's not much of a difference from Wizarding teens, although some of the activities are a little different. Usually we visit friends, go to the mall, eat out, and go to the movies."

"The mall?" Draco questioned me, one eyebrow quirked. "Movies?"

"Yeah, they're both quite fun!" I exclaimed, trying to get Draco a little excited. At the moment, he was more curious than anything. "At the mall they have a food court and stores where you can buy clothes; they also have tons of really cool things to do, along with a movie theatre." I had been about to explain what a movie theatre was, when Draco interjected again.

"What the hell is a ruddy food court? Is that some type of place where people watch and judge you as you eat?" He jeered, and I couldn't but laugh. As smart as Draco was, he was, for once, completely clueless. This would probably never happen again, so I decided that I would keep it in my mind for future use.

"No, not at all", I giggled, and Draco glared. "Sorry", I apologized between gasps of laughs. He waited arrogantly, and when I could control myself, I continued. "It's just a place where they sell different types of foods, really."

I paused for a moment, scanning over Draco from my spot against the sink. It was then I realized that he was wearing the traditional black that he always wore, a black turtleneck, black pants, and shiny, polished dress shoes, minus the jacket.

"Actually, I think the mall would be the perfect place to go today", I grinned. "Most Muggle teenagers don't usually go about in perfect, sophisticated attire like you do."

Draco nearly snorted. "That's just because they have no sense of class. I'm a Malfoy; I've always got to be sharp!" He explained proudly.

I rolled my eyes.

"Unlike Potter and Dean, and the rest of your Muggle influenced friends."

I sighed, and waited for him to realize that he was ranting. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have insulted his pride, but I couldn't help that he was going a bit far. Then again, Draco had shown so much improvement since the beginning of our friendship. Not one racist or prejudiced remark had crept out of his mouth from the moment that we had kissed in the abandoned bathroom months ago. It seemed like so much longer than that.

"Draco, it will be fun, I promise. You trust me don't you?" I smiled, and I saw the smallest trace of a grin flash across his mouth.

"What am I getting myself into", Draco sighed exasperatedly, and we shared a laugh before he got up and helped me clean the table, no matter how much I had insisted that he didn't. In the end, Draco simply became impatient, and used his wand.

We had been about to go out the door, when Draco halted behind me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, turning around. Draco looked at me, obviously amused.

"Aren't you going to take the car keys?" He said, and they dangled from the hook of his index finger. I smiled, my fingers pausing on the doorknob.

"You want to take the car?"

Draco raised a brow. "If you can drive it", he quirked. Taking the keys from him, I led us out of the door, shutting and locking it behind us. It seemed that Draco was finally starting to warm up to my Muggle habits.

VVVVV

We had taken the silver "car", and as we adjusted into the seats, I willed my ungodly indecisive nerves to relax. Before Hermione, I would have never even imagined such a ludicrous thing as a "car"! Why in the hell did Muggles have these things, anyway? Besides, everything would just be so much easier if everyone knew about Apparition.

I stared down at the dark grey sash confining me in the seat distastefully. I didn't say anything to Hermione, but I was beginning to feel oddly claustrophobic with the bloody thing strapped around me. I looked at her, and saw that Hermione was humming cheerfully in her seat, completely unaware that I was uncomfortable in mine. I preferred to keep it that way, actually. For once, it seemed that there was no use for my sarcastic drawling.

She seemed so happy.

I observed as Hermione nonchalantly slipped a small, silver key into a tiny slot on the side of what she had explained to be the "driver's wheel", but instead of listening fully, I found myself looking at her rather than whatever she was pointing to.

Had her curls always been so sleek? And since when had she started looking so good in pink? My eyes gazed rather hungrily over her while she was busy, and I couldn't help it. The pale pink cable sweater Hermione was wearing seemed to cling to her every curve, almost as if it was hugging her skin, although she pulled it off with an air of indefinite modesty. My eyes snapped up to Hermione's face again as soon as she began to speak. Apparently she hadn't noticed me blatantly staring at her.

Wouldn't be the first time, I thought, grinning inwardly at the events that had happened in the guestroom this morning.

I still didn't know how to feel about that.

Hermione sighed, shifted in her seat and checked all of the car mirrors before turning back to me.

"Are you ready?" She asked comfortingly. I didn't need her sympathy, damn it!

I hated feeling this way…was helpless the right word for it? Probably. It was just a stupid "car", what harm could it be? The rest of the street had ones just like them, and if they could handle them, then I sure as hell could! I was a Malfoy, for Christ sakes!

Shifting uncomfortably, I nodded. Hermione gave me a small smile, obviously still trying to comfort me. She had always had that maternal instinct. Hermione clicked a small button, and the vehicle filled with warmth. It helped, considering the chilly air that had been biting through my woolen sweater throughout her explanations.

"Now, when I start the car, don't be surprised when the engine starts up. It'll sound like a big deal, but it's really not." Hermione explained expertly. All I could do was nod and lean back slightly in my seat. Hermione twisted the key into the slot, and simultaneously, the "car" seemed to roar to life. My seat buzzed slightly.

Bloody hell, fucking metal contraption!

I made sure to keep my face as blank as a slate board when Hermione turned to see my reaction. Inwardly, I grinned victoriously as she simply shrugged.

"That wasn't as bad as you made it out to be, you know", I drawled, putting on the most natural of facades. "I've been through worse."

Well at least that part was true. Voldemort, my father's beatings, and countless Death Eater meetings at the Manor made riding a car seem as easy as breathing.

Hermione simply smiled and pulled a knob that was on the same level as my lap. The car began to reverse. "Glad you think so", Hermione exclaimed, and inside I knew she knew that I was lying. Hermione backed up out of the driveway and slid onto the street rather expertly. The ride was smooth – almost as smooth as broom riding, I thought, impressed.

"Music?" Hermione offered, but before I could answer, she had tapped another button and the speakers in the small car came to life. I shook my head, laughing quietly as she sifted through stations. Every once in a while, she would stop at a few stations with rather upbeat songs, some with strumming guitars, others with loud bass. I knew not to ask for _The Bloody Harpies_ or _the Weird Sisters_. I already felt inadequately informed enough about this "car" nonsense.

We had been on the main road for about ten minutes –Hermione often humming along to random songs by random artists I didn't know while we talked about the most random of things – before we got on the freeway. In a way, talking to Hermione while watching her speed up simultaneously was oddly relaxing. She was explaining everything, from stoplights, traffic wardens, how much gasoline you needed to supply a fully functioning car, to even how there were little cameras that could tell if you were going over the speed limit. Apparently people were punished with a fee for that, so when I had pleaded Hermione to speed up the car to the end of its meter, she had firmly refused. Even on a full highway, she wouldn't break the rules.

"Are you crazy, Draco Malfoy?" Hermione screeched, although I saw her foot firmly pressed on the gas pedal. "I'm glad you're getting a thrill out of this, but my parents would kill me if I got a ticket!"

More like Hermione would've killed herself. She had never even gotten a detention before! Well, _not _counting the time in First Year when I had ratted Hermione, Potter, and Weasel out for sneaking out onto the grounds to visit Hagrid. I didn't like counting that one because I had also gotten a detention, for following them.

Twenty minutes in, I had gained a bit of a daredevil view of driving! I had wanted to try it of course, insisting that I could handle it just as well as I could a broom, but Hermione had mentioned something about needing a sodding license.

Without warning, Hermione blasted the music, the sound of auto tune blended into a woman's voice flooding through my ears. I could've cringed.

"I love this song!" Hermione exclaimed, practically squealing as she sang along to the girl's rhythmic tune-toned lyrics. I just rolled my eyes and watched other people in their "cars", but before I knew it, my eyes were glued to Hermione again, watching her furtively as she sang along to each word of the song's lyrics.

"_You're so hypnotizing  
could you be the devil?  
could you be an angel?_

_your touch magnetizing  
feels I'm floating  
leaves my body glowing"_

Hermione's voice was fluid as she sang along, her eyes alive and shining like chocolate encased orbs. If it had been any other girl, I probably would've been annoyed to my wits end. It was a pop, hip, modern song – something I didn't think of or hear when I looked at Hermione. When I looked at her, I thought of dark pianos and soft, strumming guitars. In that moment, as cheesy as it felt and sounded, I knew that I had loads more to learn about the girl that I had always seen as Potter's go to brain book. Hermione had more behind the beautiful face and brain. She had more than I did, and as I gazed at her, for once, I wasn't jealous. I wanted her personality to be hers and her alone, unique, no matter how endearing and slightly unnerving it could be.

After all, I _had_ always like surprises.

"_They say be afraid  
You're not like the others  
Futuristic lover  
Different DNA  
They don't understand you_

_Your from a whole other world  
A different dimension  
You open my eyes, kiss me, kiss me  
Infect me with your love and fill me with your poison  
Take me, take me  
Want to be a victim  
Ready for abduction  
Your touch is foreign  
Your kiss is cosmic  
Every move is magic."_

The song ended, and Hermione's ludicrous yet oddly adorable singing came to a stop as well. She was grinning like two year old toddler in a Honeydukes sweet shop. A man began talking on the radio, and guessing that they were taking a musical break, I uncrossed my arms and found the same tab that Hermione had used to change the music earlier. I twisted it, and immediately, static filled the car. Hermione frowned almost comically as I stared at her with steely, demeaning eyes.

"And what exactly was that supposed to be?" I smirked. I would have never admitted that I had slightly enjoyed the whole shenanigan. Well…immensely enjoyed, now that I thought of it. Hermione raised her chin and shot an equally arrogant expression at me.

"_That_ was my rendition of the song Futuristic Lover, by Katy Perry." Hermione defended herself, and I could see a smile creeping from the outward curve of her lips into her cupids bow. "And you very much enjoyed it." She added, before smiling and turning back to the wheel.

I scoffed. "Katy Perry?" I retorted rather carelessly, and slightly clueless. "Well whoever she is, I'd like to send her a bouquet of flowers along with a note telling her to never try and carry a tune again."

Hermione laughed, a high, tinkling sound, and I had a hard time ignoring the flush the rose into my chest through my abdomen. "That's rich! Although I don't doubt the flowers bit. She actually looks a lot like a would be older version of a more conservative Pansy. Quite beautiful, if you can imagine it." Hermione shrugged.

Was I deluding myself into a hearing a tinge of jealously lace her voice?

I had to be.

"Well in that case –", I smirked, and Hermione smacked my arm. Next thing I knew, she had called me a hypocrite, demanding that I change my views on women, and that was when I had yanked on one of her curls. From there, it ended up being a battle for dominance for control of the radio, Hermione desperately clawing at the knobs to find the song again so that she could permanently torture me with it by putting it on permanent replay by use of her wand.

And for once, I didn't care. The control didn't matter. I guess you could've said that I let loose. In that moment, all I had to worry about was winning over the radio while not making a fool out of myself to the people driving beside us. There was laughing, there was fun, and for once, there was a real, happy Hermione and I at the same time.

VVVVV

Hello loves! I'm sorry that I didn't get the chance to update earlier, but I have an explanation! The screen cracked on my laptop, and I am now being forced to use a computer that's slower than Professor Binn's lectures. With that said, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I hope to update soon, but it all depends on which computer I'll be using. On a happier note, it's finally time for some Dramione Muggle fun! We'll see what they get up to at the mall and other places! **Remember, if there's anything you'd like to see in the next few chapters, please feel free to send me a message, or leave it in a review! Reviews, Ideas, and constructive criticisms are all welcome!** Love to all! X


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter. Yum, Harry, Ron, Dean, and last but certainly not least, Draco Malfoy!

Ch. 38

Arriving at Staunton's, the largest mall in all of London that happened to be located conveniently close to my house –thirty minutes or less on the freeway – I found a spot and parked the car. There was a moment of anticipated silence, since the radio had been turned off a long time ago. It had been necessary; otherwise I would've crashed the car! Apparently, Draco and I became a little too rowdy when music was involved.

Draco took out his wand and undid his seatbelt –which was rather humorous to watch – before turning and staring expectantly at me. I smiled.

"Welcome to Staunton's!" I exclaimed, and Draco's eyebrows rose at my excitement. I didn't blame him. Anyone else wouldn't have been as excited – but then again they didn't have a wizard to show around, now did they?

"Now when we go in, you might be slightly overwhelmed. It's about twice the size of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade put together."

Well it was true. The mall was three stories tall with about 250 plus stores. It was mind blowing, and you could find practically anything Muggle desirable.

Draco scoffed quietly, although his eyes shone mischievously. It was odd. Or was it? I suppose not. Draco always had an air of rebelliousness about him. "Relax, will you? I can handle it."

I only nodded and checked my wristwatch. It was noon exactly.

"Well in that case, let's get going."

VVVVV

From the moment we entered the mall, Draco began to scan his surroundings. I could see it in his eyes, a look often similar to the one he kept back at Hogwarts for things that plagued his interest. Now that I thought of it, he often looked at me that way when I spoke.

As we walked, I explained what certain things were when Draco needed me to. It was more of the people he was interested in than the décor of the stores. So far, he had only asked me to explain a bicycle from a sports store, and a large game screen from a video game venue. We walked on in comfortable silence until I came to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, stopping slightly ahead of me.

"I haven't been to Dillard's in forever!" I exclaimed, and I heard Draco scoff behind me. We were standing in front of one of the largest department stores in the building, with walls made of clear, sparkling glass. White, glossy, faceless mannequins stood proudly in the front, showing clearly behind the glass, each one towering over the people that walked past. As I observed the clothes that they had on, I heard Draco step up beside me.

"What is this, some type of frilly, girlish store?" He asked, and there was only a small trace of sarcasm in his voice. I turned to him. Draco was watching the people inside curiously, and although he had sounded uncertain, he was obviously impressed by the grandeur of the store.

"Well, there may be a little bit of that," I admitted, laughing. I grasped his hand, watching Draco look down at our entwined fingers. I could've sworn I saw him smile. Happily, I pulled him into the store.

"If it bothers you so much, we can go to the Men's department first."

Draco smirked. "I'm surprised they have one in here."

Brushing him off, I began to look for the Men's department, our hands still lightly linked. "Let's get you out of that suit, shall we?"

Draco's smirk grew larger, and I felt his thumb brush playfully across my palm. "Oh? Want a replay of this morning, do you Granger?" He asked mischievously.

I squeezed his hand harder than needed and took pride as Draco hissed harshly, muttering obscenities as we made our way up the escalator.

"Shut it, Malfoy."

VVVVV

Muggle stores weren't so bad, I realized, as much as I didn't want to admit it. Admitting it meant that Hermione was right.

I was having fun.

Scratch that.

I was having an _amusing_ time.

"Can I help you?" I heard suddenly, midway through Hermione's lengthy explanation of the second floor of the department store. A pretty, golden haired girl had approached us. She worked here, I noted as I observed the shiny, platinum plated name tag that rested on the breast of her fitted black polo. My eyes shot up at once to the petite girls face, so that I wouldn't be caught staring at her chest. I smirked inwardly.

'_As if I could help it.'_

Was it really my fault that the girl was well endowed?

"Is there anything in particular that you're looking for today?" She asked, and I caught onto her thick, distinguishable accent.

Hm. Irish.

I caught her gaze, and she graced me with a brilliant smile, before turning back to Hermione.

"Actually, we were just looking around –"

"But maybe you could help us find the Men's department?" I spoke up, my eyes scanning her body lazily before meeting her eyes again. They were green.

"Sure!" She smiled, and before I could say another word to her, she had turned around and started to lead us to the Men's section. Out of the corner of my eye, I could've sworn I saw Hermione scowl softly. Ignoring it, I brought my eyes back to the girl in front of me, with waist length golden hair and a fabulous arse. It really was a shame she was Muggle, I mused silently to myself as Hermione's hand began to slowly slip out of mine.

The girl's name tag said _"Claire"_.

VVVVV

The blonde girl had taken her sweet time leading us to the Men's department, I'd noticed.

I'd also noticed that she quite liked Draco, seeing as she had talked to him the whole way there. Somehow, I had ended up a few paces behind them. Draco had also long let go of my hand.

As much as I despised myself for admitting it…it bothered me.

But why? I had no claim on him! He wasn't my boyfriend, or my lover, or even my…crush?

Draco was a friend. Just a friend!

Nothing more.

Granted, we had shared our amount of heated, passionate kisses. Did I value them? Probably. But they had been an experiment! They meant nothing! All of the times that he had made sly compliments towards me – those hadn't meant anything? Draco was a playful person when he wanted to be. He also a sarcastic, narcissistic prat.

But why couldn't I just say that I liked all of those things about him? As difficult as he could be, I wouldn't want him any other way.

Brushing these thoughts away as I had done countless times before –each time promising to return to them – I walked behind Draco and the pretty girl.

What was he doing wrong? Nothing! Harmlessly flirting with a Muggle girl!

No big deal.

"So this is the Men's section," the girl exclaimed cheerfully, gesturing to the large sectionals of men's clothing in front of us. Immediately, I saw Draco's eyes find the suits section.

"If you need anything, just let me know, I'll be at that register over there." The blonde said smiling, more to Draco than to me. He smirked back.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks," I added, trying to be polite, although my thanks had been awfully terse The girl just nodded and smiled before making her way over to a large, modern looking customer service desk.

Draco watched her walk away before turning back to me.

"Oof", He smirked, sighing. Draco winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Merlin, can't you go anywhere without attracting someone of the female kind?" I sighed exasperatedly.

Draco laughed softly. "No, not really", he smirked cockily, and I hit his shoulder.

"You know, sometimes your cockiness makes you less attractive." I blurted out, and as soon as I had, I knew I had made a mistake. Draco's lips curved upwards slyly.

"You think I'm attractive?" He murmured, busying himself by sifting through numerous amounts expensive suits. I thanked Merlin he hadn't been holding my hand as I wiped them on my jeans.

"Stop fishing for compliments", I retorted, and Draco shook his head.

"I don't need to." He mused, picking out a suit that he liked. It was coal black with silver cufflinks. It was then I remembered I had banned him from buying anything besides casual Muggle wear, and attempted to take it from him. Draco raised it high over his head, and I collided against him, struggling on my tiptoes.

"That's because you can get them from girls like that." I muttered as I tried to snatch the suit away. Draco only held it higher and looked over to where my eyes had landed on the pretty blonde cashier. He turned back to me, his steely eyes darkening as he narrowed them at me. We were surrounded by racks of clothes, and suddenly, there was a dead silence. Somewhere off in the distance I heard women laughing as they walked past.

"Claire?" He asked deliberately. So that was her name.

"Whatever."

"You're jealous." Draco stated, and I dropped down on the balls of my feet. My heart thudded against my chest. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Nonsense!" I scoffed. "That's absolutely ridiculous –"

Before I could turn around, Draco grabbed my arm.

"Hermione." He said quietly, and all of the defiance that had traced my face vanished. I didn't know what to expect, but all I knew was that Draco was still standing very close.

"How's everything coming along?" Claire's voice came from somewhere behind the many racks of clothing.

Draco's eyes snapped up immediately, and I nearly jumped back. What if Claire hadn't interrupted? I couldn't help but wonder if Draco would've kissed me or not…I tried to ignore the thought along with the unmistakable upsetting pang in my chest. Draco released my arm and cleared his throat before responding.

"Everything's fine, thank you."

"No problem!" Claire chirped back, before there was silence again.

Draco faced me once more, his face vacant of emotion. Suddenly, he grinned, and it was as if nothing had ever happened. He had obviously dismissed the little moment that we had just shared, just as he had this morning, and although I felt a loss for it, I was nothing less but thankful.

"You can choose the rest of my clothing if you let me buy this suit." Draco challenged, motioning for me to touch the suit. I did as he instructed, running a hand over the dark, silken fabric. It was soft, and cool. I fingered the silver cufflinks for a moment, before sighing stubbornly.

"Fine." I smiled ruefully. "You can buy the silly little suit. But this means that I get to make you buy plaid, jeans, and t shirts."

Draco winced theatrically. "I see you're trying your best to make me look like Potter."

I laughed before dragging Draco to the nearest rack of shirts. Despite the intensity of the moment we had just shared, it was easy to fall back into our normal behavior. Perhaps that was what I valued most about Draco after all.

VVVVV

After making me pick out six shirts, three pairs of jeans, a pair of sneakers, two jackets, and a beanie, Hermione had insisted that we go to the Juniors (which apparently means teen girls) section, so that she could pick out a few things for herself.

Regardless, you could still say that I was having "fun", especially since I could watch pretty girls float in and out of the section. More than ten of them had waved at me already, and to my pleasured surprise, I saw Hermione scowl slightly more than once as she sifted through the clothing racks.

So here I was, Draco Malfoy, Heir to the Malfoy inheritance, Slytherin "Prince" and or "Sex God", standing in a Muggle department store, wearing dark grey jeans, and a red plaid shirt. At least I had managed to insist on keeping my dress shoes on.

Glancing at Hermione, I wondered what type of clothing she would buy. Without a doubt in my mind, I knew she would probably end up buying some type of sweater, and a button down shirt. She had always been simple when it came to clothing. However, she seemed to be extra intent on finding a dress, since her parents were apparently planning on taking us out to dinner sometime this week. At least I would get to put my brand new suit to use.

I was snapped out of my reverie at a small tap on my shoulder. Looking down, I saw that Claire stood beside me, smiling.

"I see you've found everything quite alright." She smiled, gesturing to my attire. I grinned a little.

"I guess so. Thanks for helping."

"I didn't." Claire smirked. For some reason, the girl's facial expressions reminded me of my own. "So, are you from around here?" She asked.

"I go to school in Italy," I answered curtly, and the lie spilled out of my mouth smoothly. Claire's dark blonde eyebrows rose impressively. A wry smile coated her glossed lips.

"Oh, I get it. Visiting the girlfriend?" She asked, and I nearly choked.

"What?" I spluttered, my relaxed visage nearly disappearing. Claire's eyes went over to Hermione, and I followed them. She was still sorting through racks of dresses with a concentrated expression on her face. Claire turned back to face me, looking smug.

"You mean she's not your girlfriend?"

"No! No, of course not!" I nearly sputtered. "We're just…friends…good friends."

I looked at Hermione again. She was fading farther and farther away into the racks of clothing, and I wondered why Claire's questions had to be so goddamn unnerving. Claire shrugged.

"Could've fooled me."

I paused for a moment, and shut my mouth. I didn't know how to respond to that. I wasn't stupid. I could understand why Claire had said that. What I didn't know was what I would end up saying if I opened my mouth.

Seeing that I had nothing to say, Claire continued.

"Don't get me wrong, girls and guys_ can_ be close friends. But you two just seem so…it's kind of indescribable actually, the way you two look at each other. I suppose its just massive amounts of chemistry."

My heart thudded my chest, and for some reason, I felt a strange surge of affection for the girl. Claire's words seemed…genuine. I wondered what she would've said if I had told her I was spending the week at Hermione's house. I wanted to thank her, but all the same, I didn't know what for. I nodded and gave a small smile to show my gratitude in wordless thanks. I cleared my throat.

"So, you're Irish right? What are you doing working in downtown London?" I asked curiously. Claire was young, but probably a little older than me. Claire laughed a chirpy, melodic sound.

"I want to be a model", she replied casually, but I could tell that it meant a lot to her. Her eyes shone as she spoke about it. "But Ireland doesn't have as many options as London does, so my sister and I decided to make the big move."

"Your sister? Is she as pretty as you?" I asked shamelessly, and Claire laughed again.

"You're too much."

I shrugged proudly. I had almost completely forgotten about Hermione. She had disappeared by now, too far off to even see the top of her bushy head. What was taking her so long?

"So how are your parents dealing with you being so far away from home? After all, London can be a pretty overwhelming place when you're without family."

As soon as I had finished my sentence, I knew something was wrong. Claire had gone oddly quiet. She wasn't even looking at me, and her smile had vanished.

"My parents passed away a few years ago." She said quietly. There was a moment of silence, until I spoke up.

"I understand. My father…–"

Well he was dead to _me,_ anyways.

"I'm sorry." Claire murmured.

"Don't be." I said, and I could barely contain the harshness in my words.

Claire looked up at me again, curiously, but before she could say anything, I heard another voice.

"I think I've found it."

Looking away from Claire, my eyes came into contact with another girl that had taken me a second later than usual to realize. Hermione stood in front of us, in an _extremely _flattering ruby red dress. It was fitting in all the right places, with a bit of frill that didn't overdo the simplicity of the dress. Needless to say, Hermione looked stunning. There was a few moments of surprised silence, and Hermione shifted uncertainly.

"Well? What do you think?" She asked me, but strangely, I still couldn't talk. Claire giggled beside me.

"The poor boy doesn't have words. You look gorgeous!"

Hermione beamed. "Thank you. I'll be back!" She exclaimed happily, before going off to change again. As soon as she had gone, Claire turned to me with a comically suspicious expression on her face.

"What?" I snapped.

"Oh, nothing. You should've just admitted that you had a thing for her in the first place!"

I spluttered again, sneering at Claire. "I don't."

"Someone's in denial", Claire retorted in a sing song voice. Taking a deep breath, I crossed my arms. Why did this have to bother me so much?

"I care about her. I'm not in love with her."

Claire shook her head. "You think I can't tell that? You might not be in love with her, but you certainly have a bit more going for her than just _"caring"_ about her."

As annoying as Claire's assumptions were, I knew they were correct. But Hermione and I…we were complicated people. Our "relationship" or friendship, or whatever it was –was complicated.

"And if I did? What then?" I sighed, rolling my eyes. I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. Claire shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess you'd have to be ready to fully admit it to yourself first."

I decided that it would be better to stay quiet. Unfortunately, Claire was persistent.

"Does she like you?"

I scoffed. "_Everybody_ likes me."

Claire giggled again. Did she think I was kidding? Perhaps it was because she had never been, or would never go to Hogwarts and witness it for herself.

"Perhaps that's true, but there's always that _one_ girl that doesn't immediately fall for the arrogant, handsomest, most popular guy in school." Claire reminded me. I didn't need her to, because I was already laughing quietly to myself at how right she didn't realize she was, and at the irony of her statement. Hermione had never, ever given in to the popular option of liking me, as all of her female classmates had…and even some guys.

While thinking it over, I heard Hermione's voice again. "Draco! Are you ready to leave?" She asked from the cashier's desk not too far away. I nodded, and turned to say goodbye to Claire while Hermione paid for her things.

"Well it was nice talking to you…and thanks for the advice." I admitted, but Claire just smiled.

"No problem. It was nice talking to you too… –?"

"Draco", I interjected, extending my hand to her.

"Draco", she repeated, and I could tell she thought my name was strange. "Is that Italian?"

"Yes." I lied. Claire nodded, laughing slightly, and I graced her with a smile before I began to walk away. I was only a few paces away from her before she called out to me again.

"Hey, Draco?"

I turned back to her, wondering what she would say. A smile had returned to her face again. "Good luck with her. And who knows, maybe I'll see you around here again?"

I grinned after a moment, considering her words. "Yeah, maybe."

With that, I turned to get back to Hermione again. Good luck with her? Yeah. After those words, I was sure I would need all the help I could get.

VVVVV

Hello lovelies! I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner, I've been meaning to, but I was having computer issues, and then the server went down for nearly a week and I couldnt post! So sorry loves, and I hope none of you have chosen to abandon this story, you guys' feedback means**_ so _**much to me :) ...anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was quite fun to write, especially Claire and Draco's little heart to heart session and Draco and Hermione's little suit fight. Claire was originally supposed to be just some girl that Draco found attractive and someone for Hermione to be jealous of during their little shopping date, but she turned into so much more! I kind of love her now, actually. Draco is well on his way to his "big realization" about how he feels for Hermione! And if you guys are interested, here are some facts for this chapter!

I imagine Claire looking like a blonde Miranda Kerr, (A Victoria's Secrets model, look her up, she's gorgeous!)

Hermione's red dress is actually the one that she wore in Deathly Hallows for Fleur and Bill's wedding.

Draco's Muggle outfits will mostly be inspired by Tom Felton's clothing choices. Hopefully this gives you a better view to what he'll be wearing during his week with Hermione.

I also have some questions for you!

**Who do you think will be the first to admit they like each other? Draco or Hermione, and why do you think so?**

**Will Claire ever be mentioned again? **

**What do you think will happen with Dramione's "experiments?" **

**What about Dean?**

**Will Hermione reconcile with Ron any time soon? **

That's it folks! Remember, you don't have to answer all of the questions, I would love you forever if you did, but if you answer just one or however many its fine! I want to make this story as interactive as possible; it would be great to hear everyone's opinions on what will happen. Who knows, I could even end up using your ideas! It's happened before! **Feel free to leave a review, ideas, or constructive criticism! **Love to all! Muah! X


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer : You guys already know how much I wish I owned Harry Potter.

Ch. 39

"I really don't know why you haven't given Muggle clothing a go before. You look great!"

Great was an understatement. Draco looked _amazing_. Not that I would've told him that, of course. I wouldn't have been able to handle the smug grin that would've shadowed his face if I did.

VVVVV

"Oh really, Granger? You know why," I replied hastily as we stepped out of her car. "My mother would never let me live it down." The chilly air bit at every part of me it could reach, and since I was only wearing a flannel shirt and jeans, goose bumps spread over my forearms, spreading the skin tautly over the flesh. Hermione shut her car door hurriedly and made it to my side, murmuring something. Within seconds, pleasurable warmth flooded over me. I looked down at her with appreciation and muttered my thanks. She smiled, and we made our way up the pathway to her door.

I watched her as she fiddled with the keys.

"And what would your father do?" She asked quietly, keeping her focus on slowly slipping the key into the door knob. I was surprised, to say the least. Hermione had never asked about my father so blatantly before. I laughed quietly to myself, not fazed by the bitterness of the sound.

"Beat me with his cane." I smirked wryly.

There was a moment of intense silence, and Hermione looked as if she wanted to say something. I saw her worry the inside of her bottom lip for a moment, before grabbing the door knob and pushing the door open. I nearly laughed again.

The entrance hallway was dark and gloomy, but as soon as Hermione hit the light switch, it came to life. Warmth wafted through air and I closed my eyes. It was strange. I had never felt so comfortable in one's house before. Hell, I'd never even felt this way in my _own _home. A pan clattered to the floor noisily in the kitchen, and my eyes shot open. Hermione laughed cheerily beside me as she hung her bag on the hook at the back of the door.

"Mum?" She called out, slowly walking to the kitchen. I followed her, silently gazing at the family pictures that rested on the mantelpiece in the sitting room as we passed by.

"In here, darling!" Mrs. Granger called out, her tone just as cheery as Hermione's had been, yet so proper at the same time. A sweet smell wafted into my nostrils as we entered the kitchen. Mrs. Granger was leant over the oven, pulling out a heavy tray of chocolate chip cookies. Immediately, I walked over to help her.

"Thank you, Draco dear." She said, patting my shoulder. Hermione smiled from her spot at the marble island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Not at all, Mrs. Granger." I replied, my Malfoy manners at full height.

"Mum, you made cookies? But we haven't even had lunch yet!" Hermione stated, and something in her tone of reminded me of how she was during school days at Hogwarts. Mrs. Granger clicked her tongue and waved her off.

"Now now, Hermione, where's the fun in that? And do call me Jean, Draco sweetheart."

I smiled and nodded, covering a laugh that threatened to burst in reaction to Hermione's shocked and befuddled face with a cough. She half glared at me when her mum turned around to get two glasses and a carton of milk. Honestly, I had never seen a woman so sweet. She made my mother look like the devil himself, and my mother was nice enough...that was, in pureblood society standards. Of course, Mother had seemed to have grown lenient to almost anything after going through so many Imperius Curses.

Jean set the glasses down along with the milk carton, before pulling on her coat. "Well I'm afraid I've got to be going now. Your father's dealing with that Robby Fenwick boy again. Two cavities and a chipped tooth!" She grimaced, before grabbing a cookie from the tray and rushing out of the kitchen. "I'll see you both later! Behave!" She teased.

"Thank you for the cookies, Mrs. Granger." I smiled graciously. She smiled back warmly at me.

"Don't mention it!"

There was a pause before we heard the door shut behind her. Hermione's hands rested loftily on her hips.

"For a dentist, she sure has a sweet tooth."

VVVVV

Switching on the television, I grabbed the remote and sat beside Draco on the couch. He smirked.

"What the ruddy hell?" Draco said, narrowing his eyes at the illuminated television. "How did those people get into that box?"

I laughed, so hard that I felt a chocolate chip from my cookie lodge itself within my throat. As I continued to laugh, Draco stared at the newscaster on the television with disdain. Seeing that I wouldn't stop laughing, he hit me.

"Stop laughing." He grumbled, and I attempted to regain my composure.

"Sorry", I gasped, giggling as I wiped away tears of hilarity away from my face. I had laughed so hard that my face had turned a blotchy red.

"You look like a tomato." Draco retorted, before grabbing another cookie from the plate in front of us and biting into it rather hard. I took a moment to collect myself.

"Sorry." I repeated. "It's just…actually never mind," I said hastily when I saw the nearly murderous look on Draco's face. "It's called a television. Actors and people that are involved in the entertainment business show up on it to broadcast their work. Muggle technology," I added.

Draco scoffed. "You could've just told me that instead of giggling like an idiot."

I looked down at the remnants of cookie in my hand. He was doing it again. Shielding himself with sarcasm and harshness because he felt uninformed.

"Well maybe you should've just let me explain instead of being so rude and hitting me!" I exclaimed, hitting his chest. There was a moment of stunned silence. It had taken me second to realize, but I had hit Draco with my cookie covered hand. I stared down at his chest, where my palm had been. A large smear of crumbs and melted chocolate stood prominently against the red of his brand new shirt. Draco's mouth slacked in shock.

"Draco, oh my god, I'm so sorry –"

But Draco was too quick. Before I had gotten to the end of my sentence, he had crumbled up his own cookie and smashed it against my face.

I stared at him in disbelief, watching the edges of his lips curl up into a victorious smirk. I glanced at the table in front of me, my eyes darting to the cookies the same moment as Draco's. There was a bang, a clatter of the plate toppling over the side of the table, and suddenly, there was war.

Draco pushed me off of the couch as he tried to get away from the bombardment of cookies that I sent his way. He smashed another cookie into my face as an especially melted one landed in his hair.

"Granger, you're going to pay for that!" Draco growled, and before I could protest, he had dragged me off of the floor and onto the couch, pinning my wrists with one hand as he assaulted me with cookies with the other. I kneed him in the stomach, gaining enough time to grab a handful of cookies and crush them against his shirt. I thanked Merlin that there was no milk left, for by the look on his face there was no doubt in my mind that he would've showered me with it. Draco grabbed me by the waist this time, carrying me like I was air and hauling me over the couch. I screamed, and he laughed so hard that I saw tears come out of his eyes. As he brushed them away, I stuck a hand under the couch and retrieved some cookies that had landed there. I stayed quiet, giggling silently to myself.

I listened closely as Draco's laughing came to a halt when he saw that I hadn't come back up. There was a pause, and I heard Draco regain his footing. He leaned over the couch, the poor sod. I crunched up the cookies in my hand, preparing myself. Chocolate dribbled through the creases of my fist, and I waited silently, cookies at the ready.

"Granger? Hermio–_agh_!" Draco yelled, as I palmed him in the face with the melted cookie remnants. He laughed again, and I crossed over to the front of the couch, pushing him over as he attempted to clear his face of cookie crumbs. Draco laughed as I assaulted him once more, and did something that I thought I would never see him do – raise his hands in defeat. It was then I realized that I was straddling him, and for some reason, it didn't matter. Looking down, I realized the tips of his fingers grazing my hips. My chest heaved quickly from the lack of oxygen at our closeness and from laughing so hard, and although I seemed dazed, I didn't miss the fleeting gaze that Draco sent towards my chest.

_Why did I feel so warm? _

"That'll teach you not to mess with me." I huffed victoriously, climbing off of him. "I knew you would give up –"

Draco covered my words again with another swift action, flipping us around so that I was laying on the couch, his body towering over mine. "Don't you know me at all?" He quirked, his smirk growing so wide that it was practically a grin.

I slapped his face, not hard, but just enough to hear a faint noise when my fingers came into contact with the side of his cheek. Draco winced theatrically, and I laughed again, observing my work. His shirt was so stained that it was practically ruined, and there were dramatic streaks of chocolate on his face, creating little smudges here and there. He gazed down at me, and I worried my lip.

How was it possible to feel so content with someone? Someone that, regardless of this year, I had hated with such passion that on countless occasions during heated arguments, I had wished the worst upon? The connection between us was inevitable...and it_ scared_ me. Draco knew things about me that Harry and Ron overlooked, without me even having to say a word. He knew me so well, I wondered if I knew myself better than he did sometimes. None of it made sense. I didn't know what I wanted. More importantly, I didn't know what I felt.

Draco opened his mouth to say something snarky – I could see it in his eyes – but I didn't give him the chance to. Instead, I settled for brushing my fingertips swiftly against his lips, stopping at where a smudge of chocolate clung to his bottom lip. I wiped it away, silently, before moving my fingers up into his hair, slowly running my hands against the blonde silken strands to remove the bits and pieces of cookie. I didn't look into his eyes, or at his lips for that matter, but instead recollected memories of them from my mind. His eyes, usually a clear grey blue, were probably darkening now, following every trace of my face while wondering what was going on, slate grey and judgmental, yet almost gentle and questioning at the same time.

And his lips. Thin and sardonic during conversation, yet plump and relaxed when he was quiet. Perfect lips, soft and curved like a light rosy hue of a cupids bow. I wanted them against mine, then, at that moment, where everything was tranquil and warm…and to think I had kissed them before…I wanted it again, the electric rush that always hit me whenever his lips brushed against mine, demanding yet lovely at the same time. I wanted the nostalgia back as well. I longed for it, I realized.

I could've done it, you know. Could've kissed him until he had no choice but to pull away from lack of oxygen…but I didn't. I couldn't.

My eyes fluttered closed for a moment, fingertips still at work against his face. I listened, and did nothing else. Draco exhaled softly.

"You know," Draco said quietly, reaching over to brush away what I presumed to be one of the many chocolate chips in my hair, "You're honestly one the strangest, most devious witches I've ever met."

There was a quick yet noisy shift, and my eyes fluttered open again. Draco was standing away from the couch now, and I nearly put my arms around myself to shield me from the loss of his body heat. He turned away from me for a moment, brushing a hand through his hair to be rid of all the crumbs. He muttered a cleaning spell, and immediately, the cookie remnants cleared away, and the room seemed back to normal. I didn't move from my spot on the couch.

"I…I need a shower." Draco muttered, and without another word, he trudged up the steps to his bathroom, leaving me alone. I listened again, until I heard a rush of water from upstairs and the sound of a slamming door.

Sitting upright and looking down at the floor, I saw that crumbs of cookies still remained, scattered about on the table in front of me and on the carpet. His magic had been unfocused.

"_Tergeo_." I whispered, watching silently as the crumbs clumped together before disappearing completely. With nothing left in me or on the surfaces around me, I buried my face in my hands, listening to the water rush loudly upstairs as the newscaster on the television continued to blare out today's weather forecast.

VVVVV

She had driven us to an ice skating rink, and for the countless time in my life, I couldn't believe she was serious.

"Draco, are you coming?" Hermione asked, removing herself from the car and shutting her door before I could reply back. I took a few more moments to stare at the dashboard, wondering when and how I had learned to tolerate the ridiculously vigorous witch before exiting the car myself.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I muttered sarcastically, earning a smart smack on the arm from Hermione. It didn't matter, because seconds later, my hand rested comfortably in hers, soothing the dull ache and igniting a flushing feeling of warmth in my stomach.

Claire's words still rang freshly in my head. It had been three days since.

"Trust me, its going to be fun."

Ruddy Hell.

VVVVV

Everywhere, children were giggling. I felt like an idiot, tying up my skates, standing out in stark contrast to children that barely reached past my knee. I had always been tall, but being surrounded by so many kids, I felt like a bloody mountain troll!

"Hello, Mrs. Freeman!" Hermione exclaimed, waving at a plump, kind looking woman managing the concessions stand. As soon as we had walked in, Hermione had been bombarded by a flock of _'hello's!'_ and _'long time no see's!'_ causing me to ask if she came here often. She had responded by saying that she assisted beginner's classes here during the summer. That explained the beams that had spread over half of the children's faces as soon as they had caught sight of her.

After finishing her conversation with the woman, Hermione walked back to me, holding two Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate. She handed me mine before looking away and giggling. I glowered at her.

"What?"I asked, and Hermione gestured towards my skates. She shook her head.

"Silly, Draco." She fussed, before wordlessly leaning down and untying my skates. "You've tied them all wrong!"

As much as I wanted to laugh at how business like she was, I pushed her hand away. "I'm not a child," I muttered. "Go do that to all of your little friends."

Hermione smirked wordlessly and set down her cup of hot chocolate on the bench beside mine. "Suit yourself." She said, and without another word, led herself onto the ice.

"Oh no you don't!" I grinned, standing up and wobbling a few steps forward. I felt like a two year old. It was bloody embarrassing! Here I was, six feet tall and struggling to stand while little Muggle children flitted about the ice as if they were dancing on sodding clouds? Making sure no one was looking; I slid my wand through the sleeve of my sweater and pointed it at the skates.

"_Motorus Revervo." _

Instantly, the boots aligned themselves perfectly on the ice and glided forward. I smirked, gaining speed. Pretty soon, I was doing perfect laps around the rink. Hermione caught up to me on my second lap, practically racing me. I shot her a mischievous grin.

"Pretty good at this, aren't you?" She asked, her eyes shifting curiously to my gliding skates. I gave her the smuggest look I could, shoving my hands nonchalantly into my pockets as we skated along.

"Many winter's of practice at the lake behind the Manor," I shrugged. Hermione nodded before pulling a swift turn and cutting me off. She glared at me comically, trying her hardest to look disapproving.

"Please don't tell me this is what I think it is?" Hermione sighed, and I smirked.

"What are you talking about, Granger?"

Hermione's hands rose loftily to perch on her hips, a bad habit I'd noticed. She also bit her nails when she was nervous or thinking about something….

"I know a gliding charm when I see one." Hermione smirked back, and I opened my mouth to retort, but she was faster.

"_Expelliarmus!_" She whispered furtively, and I felt the familiar sharp whoosh of air as my wand darted out of my sleeve and landed discreetly between her fingers. Hermione casually slipped it her boot leg for good measure. As hard as I tried to hide it, my jaw slacked, and my eyes widened at her audacity. I supposed I looked like a gaping fish.

Hermione grinned cheekily. "Well aren't you going to fight me for it?"

I paused for a long moment, bringing a hand up to lean against the railing. "Well…I don't usually hit girls…but this is an exception."

Hermione's small pause was all the time I needed. I lunged myself at her, slamming her into the railing before beginning to tickle her mercilessly. Hermione's gasps of laughter filled my ears.

"Going to give me my wand back now?" I challenged her, smirking as her legs went weak from laughter. I leaned down to retrieve my wand, but she kicked my hand, regained her footing and shoved me out of the way.

"Not quite!" Hermione heaved, hurriedly skating away. I regained my footing moments later, wiping shards and flakes of ice off of my jeans. This was the way it always was, a chase of cat and mouse. Skating after her, a thought sparked my interest. I thought of Blaise, Pansy, and of my parents. I wondered how they would feel, watching me chase after a girl that I shouldn't have become friends with because of something as silly as blood status.

But that meant I had changed, hadn't it?

Before, I would've never called something as important as blood status silly. I would've called Hermione a Mudblood, scum of the earth, a thief of magic…and my father would've been proud. But Hermione had taught me something throughout the year.

A true friend didn't care about your past prejudices, no matter how mean spirited or unfortunate they were. It was incredibly corny, but true. I didn't need my father to tell me what or who I needed in my life. He no longer had the fucking right.

Not wanting to get distracted from the chase, I chose to focus on the curly haired girl zipping in and out of my vision. Hermione turned and smirked, twirling my wand casually between her fingers. I scowled, hid a smile, and sped up.

_Bloody Gryffindors. _

VVVVV

Hello lovelies! So, what did you guys think of this chapter? I think it's a lot different than the others because this one is a downright fluff ball! A lot of people requested that Hermione take Draco ice skating during the holidays, and I gladly obliged! I hope you all enjoyed it! As you can see, Draco is starting to create even more of a distance between his father and himself, instead choosing to get extremely close to Hermione ;D! Gosh, that cookie fight was fun to write (sorry for being the biggest tease in the world! How about another batch of questions?

How many chapters do you think are left until Draco and Hermione have their long awaited get together kiss?

Hermione and Dean?

Anything else you'd like Dramione to do during the Holidays?

What do you think of Hermione's parents and of how they perceive Draco?

That's all for now! **Please feel free to leave a review, ideas, or constructive criticism! **Love to all! X


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: Oh, the things I would do if I owned the boys of Harry Potter!

Ch. 40

"_Draco_," The snakelike voice hissed in my ear, and immediately, my eyes snapped open. For a moment, it felt as if I had never opened them at all. The room was dark and gloomy in the early winter morning. I felt…disoriented. Slowly, I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, pressing a palm to my forehead as I tried to remember where I was.

One look to the left was all I needed. The strange box with moving pictures sat perched on the dresser. A _television_, Hermione had called it. I smiled tiredly before grimacing. My hand was soaked with sweat from my forehead. I shut my eyes, and the darkness of the Manor surrounded me again, along with a pair of red, snakelike eyes.

Dear God, I hoped I hadn't screamed.

Without another word, I lumbered towards the bathroom for a shower, mind racing.

VVVVV

Lost in my thoughts, I stayed in the shower nearly too long, taking advantage of the relaxing effect the hot water had on my body. It seemed as if I had stood there for hours, letting the scalding water cascade down my bare body while my hands held me up against the wall. After a while, the water ran cold.

The stairs creaked as I made my way down them, and although it wasn't too early, I made sure to be quiet. I wondered if Hermione was still asleep. She probably was – tumbled up into her covers, curls a flurry like a deranged cat. I smiled ruefully, and took the last steps down. The bottom floor of the house was empty and gray with only sunlight drifting in from the kitchen windows lighting the place. For some reason, I felt disappointed. Knowing full well that she was asleep, I had still expected Hermione to be there, perhaps curled up on the couch with a book in her hands, or even Crookshanks. I frowned and turned to go back up to my room, when a voice broke the silence.

"Mr. Malfoy!" A booming voice announced, and as I turned, I saw that Mr. Granger had just come out of the kitchen. I was startled, but I hid it well.

"Good morning, Mr. Granger," I greeted him, halting at the bottom of the stairs. "Did you sleep well?"

The man smiled a knowing smile which revealed the laugh lines in his face, and then chuckled. "Yes, quite. Yourself?"

"Perfectly," I lied.

"Good."

There was an odd silence, almost an awkward one, before he spoke again. "What are you doing up so early? Is Hermione awake yet?"

I shook my head, feeling embarrassed. Surely he didn't think I was exploring his house on my own?

"No, but I was just –"

"No matter, no matter," Mr. Granger chuckled, waving away what would've been an apology. "That girl sleeps like an animal." He teased, and I held in a giant laugh_. "A deranged cat sounds good to me,"_ I wanted to say, but I wasn't sure how he would react to me teasing his daughter, given our history. Instead I just smiled.

"Would you like to join me for breakfast, Mr. Malfoy? I'd like to get to know you better." Mr. Granger asked, and I had no choice but to agree.

"I'd love to. And please, call me Draco."

VVVVV

Despite the clinking of spoons scraping against cereal bowls, Mr. Granger and I had actually managed to have a normal, uninterrupted conversation. In fact, I quite liked the man. Still, I was somewhat very intimidated by him. It didn't help that he asked such direct questions either.

After asking me about my favorite hobbies, my family (which I had mostly lied about), and other nonsense questions, Mr. Granger dove in for the chase. Once he had finished his breakfast, he cleared his throat and set his spoon down, suddenly becoming very business like.

"You seem like a fine fellow, Mr. Malfoy, but I must ask you…"

I set my spoon down into my bowl and swallowed the cornflakes in my mouth before turning to him. "Yes, Mr. Granger?"

Just as a business man would, he looked me straight in the eye, brown reflecting into silvery blue. The physical similarities between him and Hermione –the hair, the eyes, the freckle near the bottom of the chin – were astonishing.

"What are your intentions regarding my daughter?"

At the question, I thanked Merlin that I had swallowed the cornflakes beforehand. I laughed quietly in surprise, trying my best not to scoff. "I'm sorry, sir?"

Mr. Granger gave me a knowing look, and immediately, I straightened up in my seat.

"Hermione and I are friends." I said, and the words felt weird in my mouth. I also wondered why I felt like I was lying to him.

"Just friends?"

"Just friends." I assured him. Mr. Granger looked into my eyes again for a long moment and nodded, before getting up to put his bowl in the sink. I felt a sense of relief.

"You two seem close…much closer than she seems to be when she's with her other friends. Her mother thought so as well, she even thought…never mind." He said. It sparked my interest.

"Harry and Ron?"

"Yes. They've been her best friends for years…but I've never seen the amount of chemistry between them amount to what you and Hermione have." Mr. Granger muttered, looking terribly befuddled. I didn't need to ask why. How could someone who had hated his daughter come to see her as a companion?

I wondered the same thing everyday.

"Thank you, sir." I murmured. I couldn't help but smile a little to myself. _'Hah, take that Potter and Weasel,' _I thought. Mr. Granger chuckled and we shared a small laugh. It had been right of him to ask of our relationship.

…_relationship?_

"Dad?" A voice came from behind me, and I turned in my seat. Hermione stood sleepily at the bottom of the stairs, big hair and all, rubbing a hand over her eyes. She caught sight of me and smiled warmly. I smirked back.

"Good morning, Dear."

"Morning, Dad, Draco." Hermione greeted us, preparing herself a bowl of cereal before sitting next to me. Her bare leg brushed against mine, and I felt the softness of it even through my pant leg.

"Sleep well?" Her father asked, and Hermione shrugged, spooning bits of cereal into her mouth. She paused for a moment and nodded. Mr. Granger chuckled.

"I should prepare for work," he said, before exiting the kitchen. I didn't miss the blatant look he gave me before leaving. There was a moment of silence before Hermione turned to me with a questioning gaze. The sound of Mr. Granger shutting the door vibrated throughout the empty house.

"Seems like you and my father are getting along well," Hermione mused as she walked over to put her half empty bowl of cereal into the sink, all the while unknowingly giving me a glorious view of her bum. My groin twitched and it immediately became a struggle to regain myself. Hermione raised a perfectly arched brow.

"Exactly what were you two talking about?"

I smirked while my stomach did somersaults. "Wouldn't you love to know? He was just getting to know me."

Hermione winced. "Poor dad, then." We both laughed. Hermione stopped short before I did, and walked silently over to me before sitting down. She faced me, biting her lip.

"There's something I've wanted to talk to you about." She murmured. I cleared my throat. What could she possibly need to tell me? It seemed urgent.

"Go on."

Hermione leaned farther in, as if we were in a crowded room, when in reality, besides Crookshanks, it was just us. "The dreams…they're back."

I wish I could've seen my face pale.

The dreams? The horrific nightmares? They had returned to her too? I had prayed that they would only plague me. What had Hermione ever done to deserve them, and the constant pressure they imposed? It appeared that I hadn't spoken for a long time, because Hermione had been calling my name.

"Draco? Draco, I –"

"Well, what was it? Your dream?" I interrupted, harsher than I had meant to. The concerned look in her full brown eyes was scouring a trail into my chest with a red hot poker.

"Just the same recurring one, so far. I'm at The Manor, watching you…," She faltered.

"Watching me what?" I demanded, appraising her with cold, iron slated eyes. Hermione's voice cracked, and it seemed like she couldn't look at me anymore.

"They…they _torture_ you. Voldemort _tortures_ you. They make me watch until the last moment; make me listen to your screams… until you look at me. And then I wake up." Hermione breathed, before her eyes met mine again, reminding me of chocolates behind a glassy shop window. Hermione quickly turned away from me to wipe away stray tears, and I sat a stiff as wood board. How was it that her dreams were the complete opposite of mine? Minus the recurring theme, _everything_ was reversed. Countless times The Dark Lord had asked me to point my wand at her, and I had done it! But Hermione had never died…at least I had never seen her body fall to the ground or watched the emotion leave her face. The dream always ended with a flash of green light and a snakelike, whispery voice in my ear.

In one quick motion, I reached across the table for Hermione's trembling hand.

"We're going to fix this. Together."

VVVVV

The day had been enjoyable and fairly peaceful, if you didn't count my outburst of tears at the breakfast table earlier that morning, or the slightly awkward dinner that Draco and I had just had with my parents. Everything had been good on my side of the table – Mum had laughed at almost everything that Draco had said, while I had had to ignore the frequent brushing of his leg against mine that sent chills up my spine from underneath the table. However, Dad had seemed a little less friendly. He'd barely spoken, only when he was addressed, or to commend me for the chicken and potatoes I had cooked. However, he had kept an annoyingly obvious watch on Draco the whole time.

"You know," Draco snickered as we made our way outside of the house in the chilly evening air, "Maybe you and your father have more in common than I thought." The sky had taken a dark midnight blue color, and glittered with stars. I had missed the sight and the opportunity to be outside without having to perform Head Girl duties or worry about being attacked by someone. But then again, my house was protected by Aurors. Perhaps that was why Draco felt so safe here. He had definitely let his guard down, that was for sure.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, turning a corner in the backyard. I grabbed onto the black ladder attached to the wall and immediately began to hoist myself up. Instantly, I felt Draco's hands resting lightly against my hips, guiding me up safely. I swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat.

"Just that you're both very…observant." Draco finished, laughing a little to himself at my father's ridiculous actions.

"Right. Sorry about that."

Draco shrugged and climbed up the ladder after me with dexterity. I waited to see the look on his face, and as I knew I would be, I was pleased with the smile that came to his face. On the flat surface of the roof, I had set up a little spot for us to lounge and look at the stars. Blankets covered the hard surface, and I had even placed a few pillows. Of course, I wouldn't have been able to complete the scene without a few jars of little blue flames to warm us (my specialty), a platter of cookies, and a thermos of hot chocolate. Draco wolf whistled and made a pompous face at my display.

"Well, well, what do we have here? I say, Hermione Granger, is this your idea of a traditional Muggle date?" he asked playfully, stepping onto the warm blanket. Draco turned to me, arms crossed, with an especially smoldering look in his eyes. Despite this, I could still see the trace of a domineering sneer.

"Well what do you expect us to do now? Kiss passionately under the moonlight?" Draco murmured, eyebrows raised. Immediately, I blushed fiercely. I felt embarrassed, but still, I decided to hold my ground.

"Not exactly, no. I just thought you might enjoy…" I flustered for a moment, running a hand through my already distressed hair. "If you don't like it, you can just say so." I grumbled. I rolled my eyes when I got no response.

"Draco Malfoy, are you just going to –"

"Are you going to keep rambling over there, or are you going to get over here before these flames go out?" Draco smirked, and to my surprise, he was already lying on his back, head propped up against three pillows. He patted the spot next to him and I grumbled to myself before walking over to sit beside him.

"You're the most difficult person I've ever met in my life." I sighed, grabbing a cookie and biting forcefully into it. Draco chuckled before going quiet again, instead choosing to examine his cookie rather than talk to me.

"Thank you. For everything, Hermione." Draco muttered, looking a little abashed. His silver eyes met mine, and they shined like molten crystals in the night. "This is probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

I choked, spluttered on my cookie. "_Ever?_"

"Ever." He nodded curtly.

I grabbed a pillow and held it against myself. How could he say that? He was Draco Malfoy, high and mighty, the person everyone in Slytherin wanted to please! I thought of Pansy, and of Blaise, of how they were willing to anything for him. And he had chosen my simple blankets, flames, and cookies as the nicest deed? It made no sense.

"I don't know if you've realized this or not," I said stubbornly, "But you're Draco Malfoy. _The_ Draco Malfoy."

Draco shrugged, as nonchalant as I had ever seen him. "So? And by the way, you're doing that weird, mouth-gaping fish face again. With the bugged eyes." He smirked smugly. I ignored his comment and pushed on. He seemed to be avoiding something. Did he think he could delude me with his humor?

"I don't understand. You're rich, powerful, and elite. Everybody either wants to be you or be with you. You have friends that would do anything for you – and you choose this? It just doesn't seem like you –"

"Shut up, Hermione." Draco interrupted briskly, and it almost sounded like a command. It was then I realized that he was extremely aggravated.

"_Excuse me? _You don't get to tell me what to do –"

"Then don't you dare try to tell me who I am." Draco said harshly. There was an eerie silence, so filled with tension I could almost taste it. "Draco –"

"Don't!" He yelled, and I flinched. Without warning, Draco stood up and walked away from me. He peered over the roof, perhaps trying to estimate how far away we were from the ground while he calmed himself. A singular hand ran through his silken blonde hair. I knew better – I waited until he spoke again.

"Fucking _hell_. I thought you understood. Haven't you realized that I'm not what everyone thinks I'm cracked up to be? Daddy's money hasn't done shit except get me into the situation I'm in now." Draco said, his voice cracking at the end of his sentences. His back was still to me. He laughed, an empty, cold sound.

"I'm the biggest fuck up I know," he spat, turning to me, "Or maybe you haven't noticed that either? I'm not some easy go lucky prat. Sure, a prat, but certainly not a happy one."

"Draco –"

"You're wrong. No one wants to be me. Everyone wants to be Potter, or God forbid, _Weasley_. But you know what? I don't blame them. I envy them. They know their fates, and so do you. You either live, or you die. It's simple. Would you like to trade places? –"

Rage coursed through my veins at those words, and I couldn't stay quiet any longer. "How _dare_ you? You have no idea what Harry, Ron and I have to do! What we've gone through! We've done everything to protect people like you –"

"_Protect?_" Draco scoffed disbelievingly, and I had the strongest urge to slap him. "You really are blind."

Tears pricked my eyes, and before I knew it, my cheeks were wet. "Why are you doing this? Saying these things?" I whispered. It might as well have been to myself, I had said it so quietly. He turned away from me again, regarding the starry sky above us.

"You're the first person to know this, besides Blaise of course. I'm fucked, Hermione. I probably shouldn't even expect to live past the age of twenty. My mother isn't well, and I can't be there for her. It's too dangerous. My father is rotting in Azkaban. That leaves the Dark Lord with just me. It's only a matter of time before he comes for me, and anything can happen." Draco turned, possibly to see my reaction, and as he did, I saw the edges of his lips rise. "You didn't think those dreams were just coincidences, did you?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I held in the urge to wretch. All of the times I had seen Draco lying dead in front of me in those dreams, tortured, mangled, and beaten...

_Lifeless? _

Was that Voldemort's message to me? But besides telling Harry, what could I do to protect Draco? I couldn't even _think _about him dying, it physically hurt me to imagine it.

"Why me?" I asked. My voice was low and raspy. Draco paused for a moment, his facial expression a cross between confusion, bitterness, and hurt. His eyes were vacant pools of liquid graphite.

"We can assume all we want to about The Dark Lord's motives. That's what he wants…a distraction."

"Harry has to know about this." I muttered, standing up to go send him an owl. It would show up at the Weasley's and risk a response back, but it was a risk I was willing to take. Before I could move from my spot, Draco had grabbed my arms. I watched him for a moment. His hair was tousled and with each breath, a ragged cloud of chilly mist emerged from his mouth. All in all, he looked like a madman –nonetheless, a beautiful one.

"_No."_

I struggled against him, but he gripped me tighter. "Let me go."

"No! You can't tell Potter a damn thing. I can't trust him!"

'_But you can trust me'_, I wanted to plead.

"And you're going to stop me?" I challenged instead.

"I would let you go. Wouldn't expect such great results if I were you though, since I'll deny everything. Plus, it would be bad on your part to be the untrustworthy one in our friendship. You're one of the few people I know I can I actually trust…but that'll change if you tell Potter, you know. Tell him, and you'll leave me no choice."

'_Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin'_, I thought. So Draco had decided to give me an ultimatum, had he?

My defiance vanished. What could I say to that? Draco had threatened me with the thing I feared most – losing him. He had played the perfect guilt card. Draco smirked and released my arms when he saw he'd won. Cold air overtook them and I almost want him to hold me again.

"Fine. I won't tell Harry….but only if you tell me everything." I challenged back, and Draco's face flooded with bitter concern. "What? I thought you said you could trust me?"

Draco paused for a moment, before making his way back to our little nest of blankets. He poured himself a cup of steaming hot chocolate. "Let's hope so."

VVVVV

It was late into the night when Draco had finally finished telling me everything. He had told me about his mother, and what his father had done to her. He talked about the things he'd seen in The Dark Lord's presence, and he had had to stop more than once to see if I was alright enough to continue his story. Draco had even gone into the details, the revels that were held at his home, and how his father had participated. Lucius was the one responsible for all of this. He had entered the Ministry earlier last summer and had failed at placing an Imperius Charm on Pius Thicknesse. Lucius' failures had resulted in various, extremely disturbing punishments bestowed upon Draco, Luicius, and Narcissa by Voldemort himself. He had paused then, as he explained that he still dreamed about the violence of the torture. Draco had said this so void of emotion that it had sent chills all the way up to my hairline. I had never heard of anything so gruesome. The Dark Lord took pleasure in performing Unforgivable Curses so much that he performed them almost lovingly. Draco couldn't even remember how many times he had woken up bloody and mangled from the Cruciatus Curse. Blaise had never been involved with the Dark Side, his mother had made sure of that. Draco's mother hadn't really had the choice. Pansy's father was affiliated with Voldemort as well, although he was often not invited to the meetings . Somewhere throughout the middle of his story, I had burst into a fit of silent tears. Draco hadn't noticed, and even if he had, he hadn't acknowledged it. Actually, I preferred it that way. Draco sighed quietly, looking away from me.

"So now you know. Everything. Do you still think The Dark Lord is a force to be reckoned with?" He demanded, looking obviously patronizing. He had the right to be.

Chin up, my voice still cracked as I spoke. "Yes."

Draco chuckled bitterly, turning his head to observe me with his liquid-like blue-grey eyes. A lock of hair came down to shadow his left eye. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because we have something he doesn't have."

"What?"

Wordlessly, I burrowed through a pile of blankets and various pillows. I pulled out the book from the mess, and immediately, Draco's eyes widened curiously. He recognized it, no doubt.

In my hands, I held "_The__ Whisper of the Night"_ by Gredaculus Scrunch.

VVVVV

"Draco?" I murmured, when I didn't receive a response after the third try. After a few moments, he glared.

"Are trying to insult my intelligence?"

My jaw slacked. "What?"

What the hell was his problem? Just moments ago he had been soft and vulnerable and now he was cold as ice.

"You heard me. Do you really think Voldemort can be defeated by using some stupid dream book? I thought you were smarter than that – I certainly am."

I scoffed back, determined to not let him win. "You really should have more faith in books."

"Why, so I can become like you?"

There was dead silence, and instantly, my eyes stung with unshed tears. Draco sighed. Tentatively, he reached for my hand. "I didn't mean that. I just –"

"I know." I said softly.

Draco didn't mean the things he said when he was upset, I had learned that by now. He was constantly hurting, and if he needed to use me as a vessel to channel his hardships through, I would let him.

"Why am I such a prat, Hermione? I always end up hurting the people that care." Draco muttered, and I gripped his hand. I sighed, and put my head on his shoulder. For once, he didn't flinch, and after a few moments, I felt his chin resting atop of my hair.

"Don't say that. You haven't hurt me."

"You're a horrible liar."

"Okay, so maybe you have. A lot. Regardless, I still care about you." I said, looking down at our entwined fingers. Draco stiffened beneath me.

"You do?"

"Are you daft?" I said, looking up to see him. "Of course I do, you're my best friend," I laughed. Draco's eyes lit up curiously once more, but this time, a mixture of quizzicality and warmth lingered in them.

"But Potter and Weasley –"

"I never said they weren't…well, Harry anyways. But so are you."

Draco nodded solemnly, the smallest quirk of a smile resting on the edges of his mouth. I didn't mind if he didn't voice his thoughts on our friendship.

"So, no luck with Weasley then?" Draco asked curtly, and I shook my head.

"Not at all," I sighed, subconsciously scooting closer to Draco. He made a small acknowledging sound.

"He'll come around."

I laughed in surprise and removed my head from Draco's shoulder. I stared at him in shock. That was the nicest thing he'd ever said about Ron. "What makes you think so?"

"Just trust me," He murmured. " After all, _you're_ Hermione Granger. _The_ Hermione Granger, everybody either wants to be you or be with you. You have friends that would do anything for you –"

"Okay, I get it!" I grumbled, and he laughed. Soon enough, I was giggling along with him. Draco faltered slightly, but I didn't. I continued to laugh so much that I hadn't realized that he had been staring unabashedly at my lips for a very long time. I quieted then, my eyes flickering to his lips as he licked them. I watched as he did, and his teeth dragged across his bottom lip for a moment before it emerged fully again, pink and plumped. It was becoming increasingly hard to breathe, and it became worse as he moved even closer to me. Automatically, my eyes began to flutter close as the warm electric pool in my stomach riveted. This was all too familiar…

_Just let it happen…just this once… _–

"Hermione? Draco?" Mum's voice came from down below, causing me to jump away from Draco. I didn't miss the flicker of a scowl on his face. "Are you two still up there?"

Breath still caught in my throat, I managed to choke out a response. "We were just coming down!"

"Alright, Dears! Sleep well!"

"Goodnight, Mrs. Granger!" Draco called out, laughing a little at the sudden surprise. Mum responded by chuckling and saying something, but I couldn't focus. All I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears. I would have kissed him again, and as much as I tried to stray away from the thought, I was pretty bothered that I hadn't.

Draco smirked and began to hoist blankets into his arms. He climbed down to ladder before I did, whistling some Muggle tune he had heard on the radio earlier today.

"Bugger," I muttered, and I leant down to gather the platter of cookies and the now cold thermos of hot chocolate from the floor.

VVVVV

Hello loves! It was has literally been forever, and I've missed you all terribly. Seriously, I've been trying to update for a while now, but I never got the chance to! You can thank school for that. My final exams are next week, so I won't be updating until the week after that. Wish me luck? I'm going to need it. On a happier note, this story has reached its 40th chapter! Haha, and to think I had been planning to make this no more that thirty chapters. I'm sorry for any typos/grammatical errors, I try to catch them, but they can be sneaky buggers sometimes. The kiss is almost here! I don't want to give too much away, but I think you get the idea. Sorry for being a tease again, I promise I'll make it up to you all ;D! This chapter was emotionally draining but fun to write. Another chapter starring the oh so famous cookies :D! Anyways, I would love it if you'd all tell me what you thought of this chapter! I thought it should reveal something because Hell, it's the 40th chapter! In the mean time, here are some questions (because we haven't done that it forever!)

**Why do you think Hermione forgave Draco so easily?**

**Do you think Hermione will tell Harry Draco's story and give up his trust? **

**What will make Dramione get together? **

**Do you think Draco will replace Ron as Hermione's best friend? **

That's all for now. Your responses always make smile . Just know that I love you guys just as much as I love Dramione! I look forward to updating soon! **Feel free to leave a review, constructive criticism, or ideas!** Love to all! X


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but if Draco Malfoy came into my bed in the middle of the night, I wouldn't protest.

Ch. 41

Needless to say, waking up this morning felt…different.

In a good way. As I turned in my blankets and opened my eyes, light seemed to flood into every single crevice of the room, making the space glow with brightness and warmth. I smiled and crawled out of bed to sleepily make my way to the bathroom.

Halfway there, I realized why I felt so different. Pausing, I quickly recalled my mind for dreams that I had had the previous night. My mind was as blank as a clean slate.

_No nightmares?_ None at all!

Immediately, I took a detour and began to make my way to Draco's room, nearly sprinting. _"Draco!"_ I wanted to yell out, but then I remembered that it was barely eight in the morning. Reaching his door, I rapped my knuckles smartly against his door. No answer. I waited for a moment that felt like an eternity before I couldn't take it anymore. Quietly, I turned the doorknob. It was unlocked as I had expected it to be, and I fought the urge to swing it open. Peering inside, I frowned in disappointment when I saw that he wasn't in bed. I had expected to see him there, nestled within the blankets, probably shirtless with messy hair. Just the thought of it brought a rush of warmth to my stomach and tingles up my spine. Snapping out of it, I listened for signs that he was in the bathroom, but there were none. I sighed, and made my way downstairs. My stomach curled with excitement and anticipation to see the look on Draco's face when I told him. Perhaps his nightmares had taken a hiatus too? I certainly hoped they had.

Making my way downstairs, a familiar, elevated laugh filled my ears. My eyes widened at the sound, and soon I was bounding down the stairs and into the living space below. I made a beeline towards the kitchen as the laughing increased in volume, and with barely any breath left within me, I took in the scene.

Draco and my mum were sitting at the kitchen island talking joyfully to a girl in white with wondrous, cascading, strawberry blonde hair –

"Hannah!" I exclaimed, and before she could fully turn in her seat to see me, I had already pulled her into a hug.

"Hermione, oh my God!" Hannah cried out in shock and happiness, and before anyone could stop us we were holding on to each other and squealing like little girls. "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!"

It was true. Hannah was my Muggle best friend, and I hadn't seen her since last summer. We had been best friends since birth, and although it was hard to maintain our friendship while I was at Hogwarts, we managed. Hannah also went to a boarding school, in Oxford, although it wasn't magical in any way, shape, or form. I had visited once, and to my surprise, it reminded me of a would be Muggle version of Hogwarts! Not like Hannah would know anything about that...it was forbidden to mention Hogwarts to Muggles outside of your family, and although Hannah was practically my sister, it was a risk I simply couldn't take.

Pushing the slightly depressing thoughts aside, I focused on the girl squealing like mad in front of me. It seemed like Hannah became increasingly beautiful each time I saw her. I also noticed faint changes that hadn't been there last summer, like the barely there freckles that now dusted her nose and cheekbones, and the small pearl stud piercing the cartilage of her left ear.

"It's so good to see you." I murmured before wrapping her into my arms again. Hannah chuckled and sqeezed me back.

"I've missed you like you can't beleive, Herms! How have you been?" She exclaimed, her warm, honey eyes taking in my appearance. I was halfway to answering her before I realized how rude I was being. Turning back to the island, I saw that Draco and my mum were observing me with bemused expressions. Draco smirked, and tingles in my spine from earlier returned.

"Alright there?" He mused, looking awfully smug at my behavior. Here I was, jumping around with my best friend in the kitchen. In my pajamas. Hannah giggled and he rolled his eyes from me to her.

"I see you've met Draco," I grumbled, smiling slightly. "He's visiting..."

"Oh, yes," Hannah smiled at Draco. "From your school for all the gifted kids", she teased. I didn't miss the obvious smirk that was plastered onto Draco's face. I could tell it pleased him immensely that he knew something she didn't. I could already hear him mimicking what she'd said about_ "The school for all the gifted kids." _

"Does that mean you're as smart as Hermione? She's ruddy brilliant."

"_Smarter_, actually," Draco informed her, and I snorted aloud. Hannah laughed.

"Draco's been keeping me company while I waited for you to wake up. He's quite nice, I don't see why you tease him so much..."

So the little bugger had been telling her stories? Not even an hour of Hannah visiting and he had already found a way to have her on his side. I laughed nervously and sent a murderous glare towards Draco. He ignored it.

"Let's go to my room and catch up!" I said hurriedly, dragging Hannah out of the kitchen. I purposely didn't invite Draco along. Instead, I left him in the kitchen. If he wanted to be a prat, he could just sit there and endure my mother's constant fawning over him. Then again, I'm sure he didn't mind it at all.

VVVVV

"So let me get this straight," Hannah inquired as she kicked her sandals off and plopped herself onto my bed, "Draco is just a friend?"

I nodded and she raised her eyebrows. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, Han. Don't you think I would've told you already if there was anything going on?" I swallowed, thinking about the kisses and the near kisses that Draco and I had shared over the course of the past few months. Perhaps Hannah didn't need to know about that. After all, it was our secret...

Hannah scoffed. "I know how you get about boys. Even if you like them, it takes you a while to admit it and I personally think that you need to take more risks. Remember what happened with that Rodney boy? You liked him for the longest time –

"Ronald." I corrected sadly. "And that's not ever going to work out." I had waited too long, and now look what had happened...it was too late.

Hannah's eyes softened. "What happened?"

"Everything that shouldn't have happened,"I whispered, feeling hot tears cloud my eyes. "And it's not like we're exactly friends anymore...we both said things we shouldn't have."

_"You're really nothing but a jealous prat, Ron! I don't know what I ever saw in you."_

_"Yeah? Well I don't really know what I ever saw in an arrogant, boring girl like **you** either!"_

I turned to face the window as I remembered, not wanting Hannah to see the few tears that had managed to to escape. Hurriedly, I wiped them off and turned back to her, smiling. "But I've accepted that. I mean, some things just aren't meant to be, you know? I have Draco now, and he's helped me realize that."

At least that was partially true.

Hannah nodded slowly, but I could still see the suspicious hint in her gaze. I had fooled her for now, but I knew she wasn't going to let this go. As I observed her, I noticed her incredibly light layers of clothing. Although we were in a heated space, we were still in the middle of winter, and all she had on was a matching white camisole and an above the ankle, flowy, bohemian skirt. Hannah had always been artsy and eccentric with her clothing choices, but this was just downright torturous to watch. It was as if she'd dressed for a picnic during the summer!

"Hannah, are you mad?" I exclaimed, going into full on Mrs. Weasley mode. "Please tell me that you have a long coat that you just happened to leave downstairs! A skirt in this weather, are you mad?" I shrilled. She laughed calmly.

"Oh relax, Herms. I'm perfectly fine! I think the breeze is wonderful –"

"_Wonderful? _Oh sure, you'll think it's bloody fabulous when you get frostbitten toes –"

"It's refreshing, Hermione! Just the thought that it could snow any minute? I find that exhilirating! And maybe if you tried it you would stop being so damn uptight all the time!" Hannah scolded. "You haven't changed since we were kids you know," she continued as I huffed and crossed my arms. "God, I remember you wouldn't even run out into the rain, or play in mud puddles..."

Well, I huffed to myself, she didn't know that I was running around snogging a would be Death Eater and notorious Slytherin _prick_...I bet no one would've expected that of me! Not to mention that I was betraying my friends in process...as if that was something to be proud of. I sighed.

"Well if you must know, Draco's been helping me with my...err...frigidness." I muttered, hoping she was satisfied. She looked intruiged, and sat up on my bed, indian style.

"Really? How?"

My heartbeat increased and I shrugged nonchalantly. "Just in general...nothing in specific."

Unless snogging your brains out counted as specific, along with giving you looks that had you fighting for air...

"Oh." Hannah said, and I detected a flicker of dissapointment. She just wouldn't give up, would she?

"He probably thinks you're very pretty, Draco. You're just his type of girl, blonde...gorgeous..." I stated, trying to veer her off the subject before my placid composure cracked and revealed everything I wanted to scream aloud. For as long as I could remember, every male I knew had once fancied her, so why not Draco? Hannah giggled.

"You think so?"

"Yes," I said tightly, ignoring the sudden roar of jealousy that ripped across my chest.

_What the bloody hell...?_

This went unnoticed by Hannah, who was too busy playing with the frills on one of my pillows. "Thanks, Hermione, but honestly, I think you're being daft. Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?"

_Yes._

"He looks at everyone that way! It's his eyes...they're...different. Must be the color." I muttered. Merlin, why was this so _hard_? Seeing that I was resilient, Hannah just shrugged.

"He does have nice eyes. They're very...smoldering, I guess you could say. I've never seen such intense expression in a person's eyes before...especially when he talks about you."

My heart fluttered against my ribcage before I could stop it. Did he really?

"His whole family's got the same eyes. Along with the hair. It's like silk isn't it? Damn aristocrats," I giggled, and Hannah joined me.

"He's like a fucking angel sent from heaven, to be honest. He's gorgeous. He's just so charming and polite and all..."

I snorted, and Hannah laughed loudly. "Don't let that angel face fool you. He's a devil." I warned jokingly. Midway through our small laugh session, Hannah caught sight of the time and gasped, scrambling out of my bed.

"Bugger, is that really the time? I've got to go now, I'm afraid. Mum's being so fussy about our trip to Edinburgh, and I haven't even gotten started on packing! Christ, I _just_ get home for the holidays and the woman is already dragging all of us on a family trip." Hannah hissed, slipping on her sandals. I chuckled as we left my room.

"Tell your mum and dad I say hi, will you? Oh, and Charlie and Scraps as well."

Scraps was Hannah's large, clumsy golden retreiver. I loved him to pieces. As for Charlie, her fourteen year old brother, I decided that saying hi would make him smile. He'd had a never ending crush on me since I'd come home the summer after my Fourth Year.

"I'll give them both a huge kiss from you," Hannah promised with a wink, and we descended down the staircase giggling like madmen. Apparently we weren't the only one's laughing. As we entered the kitchen so Hannah could bid my mum and Draco goodbye, we came upon a surprising sight.

My mum was baking again, which wasn't surprising. However, what _was_ surprising was that Draco was right alongside her, clad in a baking apron. That alone was comical. Increasing the hilarity was the fact that it was one of my mum's, which happened to be lavender with frilly pockets. Draco hadn't noticed us standing there, yet. This was probably because he was completely focusing on learning how to roll a piece of dough with a rolling pin. His face was scrunched up in concentration, as it often was during Potions, and I noticed that he had a streak of flour across his already pale cheek.

Hannah's composure broke before mine did, and before I could do anything, she had collapsed into a heap of giggles. Draco's head shot up immeadiatley. At my smile that threatened to burst into full fledged laughter, he scowled.

"_Bitch_," He mouthed, and before I knew it, I was keeled over in laughter along with Hannah. Mum shot me a dissaproving look and petted Draco's hair, which did nothing to soothe his irritation.

"Don't let them fool you, women love a man who can bake!" Mum exclaimed, before letting him remove the apron. Draco stalked past me, murmuring something about a bathroom. On his way out, he passed Hannah who was still on the floor in a heap of laughter.

"I love him already!" She exclaimed, before regaining her composure. Mum clicked her tongue dissaprovingly before smiling.

"You girls."

VVVVV

After Hannah bid goodbye to my mother, I walked her outside. Halfway there, she'd demanded that I close my eyes.

"Stop peeking!"

"I'm not!"

It was hard to walk on the cobblestone outside, and I stumbled before Hannah grabbed me by the shoulders and pressed me against something. It was large, and cold, but glossy.

"Hannah, what –"

"Surprise!" She yelled, and I opened my eyes. Immeadiatley, cold wind hit them and caused them to water, but I turned around to see the object anyway. My eyes widened. In front of me sat a a brand new, creamy yellow mini cooper, shining and glossy even in the freezing, misty air. A smile broke across my face.

"Oh my God, Hannah, it's beautiful!"

"Isn't it?" She sighed, lovingly sliding a hand across the top of the car."Mum and Dad finally thought I was ready for car. Unlike the last time."

It was true. Last year, Hannah had gotten her first car and had crashed it not six months in when a dog had unexpectedly crossed the road. She'd panicked and veered to the side to avoid it, but at a cost. The car had swerved into a ditch and two of her friends had been in there with her. Luckily, everyone had made it out safely, but the front of the car was totaled.

"This is car is my baby. I will_ not_ let that happen again," She promised me, and I beleived her. Hannah didn't make the same mistake twice. While I admired the car, her mobile rang and Hannah hissed.

"Now I'm really in for it", She muttered, before tucking it away into her purse. Hannah looked me over once more, a dulcet gaze glazing her eyes. "It was so great seeing you again, Herms. It's been too long." She smiled. We hugged once more before she got into her car.

"I should be back a few days after Christmas, so expect another visit, okay?"

I nodded, smiling. We hadn't spent enough time together, that was for sure. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Hannah laughed before her eyes settled on something behind me. Turning around, I saw that Draco was leaning against the doorway of the house, looking smug as he waved goodbye to Hannah.

"Prick," I breathed, and Hannah chuckled.

"Do me a favor? Plant a huge one on Pillsbury Dough Boy over there for me. He's ridiculously sexy." Hannah winked, and I choked on a laugh. Before I could respond, she had already backed up out of the driveway and onto the street.

"Bye, Draco!" Hannah waved, and before I knew it, she was gone. I waited for a few moments before turning back to Draco. He looked unbearably smug, and as I approached him I noticed a sliver of flour on the side of his nose. Wordlessly, I reached up and brushed it away, locking eyes with him for a moment. I didn't let it last long however, instead opting to rip my hand away from him and frown.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, you prat?"

And with that, I trudged into the house, leaving him to smirk at the back of my head.

VVVVV

"No, Draco, you're doing it all wrong!" I fussed. We were decorating the gingerbread house and gingerbread men that Draco had attempted to help my mum make. This year, it seemed that he had taken my place as the family decorator, not that I minded. I actually encouraged it. It was another expirience he could add to his list for his visit here. But that didn't mean I could help myself from correcting him on the family's ways and customs.

Draco scowled. "What is it now?"

"The gumdrops are never used for eyes, it's always the chocolate or icing." I stated bluntly, looking down with disdain at Draco's creation. The gingerbread man had two red gumdrops for eyes and chocolate buttons. It also had a crooked smile sloppily created out of icing that looked more like a smirk. Comparing it to my batch of perfect gingerbread men and women, it had no place!

Draco sighed. "And what if I like it this way? For Merlin's sake, Granger, it's just a gingerbread." He shrugged.

"But it doesn't fit in with the others!" I spluttered. "It'll ruin the whole family –"

I was cut off by Draco's nearly frigid stare in my direction. I paused for a moment, before completely faltering out into silence. Well it was true. I had created versions of myself, mum, and dad as accuratley as I could on the biscuits...so what could have possibly been...oh.

_Oh._

It was then I realized that Draco had painted a crooked squiggle of white icing for hair on the top of his gingerbread man's head. It was supposed to represent him, and I might as well have just said that I didn't want to include him in my family, that _he_ didn't fit in. It all seemed so silly, it was silly, but as I took a moment to think, Draco crushed his gingerbread in his fist and scattered its remains onto the tray. I watched, wide eyed, as a harsh look clouded Draco's already stormy eyes. He was shutting in on himself again.

"Forget it, it doesn't matter," He muttered before grabbing another gingerbread and starting afresh. I stared at the pieces of gingerbread that littered the tray as he returned to work in dead silence. It had been so much fun just moments before, why did have to be like this now? I grabbed my wand.

"_Reparo_," I said firmly, and then wordlessly picked up Draco's repared cookie to place it with the others. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Draco turn his a head a fraction of an inch to watch me do so. I smiled.

"There. Perfect."

VVVVV

Hello, lovelies! Oh God, I know what you're thinking. It's been ages since my last update. I'm so sorry guys! I have so much on my plate right now, and I feel so guilty for not updating when I said I would. I had to move and re-connect my internet with a different company which took a while, and I was working at a camp, and then I felt uninspired...just a whole bunch of stuff, but I really don't want to make excuses for myself. I'm now working from a different computer without Microsoft Word (I know, major pain in the butt), so sorry for any grammatical errors. Anyone know where I could download the program, by any chance? I'd just really like to say thank you to everyone who is sticking with this story, and for those that were patiently waiting for me to update. You guys are the best, thank you 3. I have a surprise coming up in the next chapter as a massive token of my lurveeee hahah! I'd also like to thank **SuperShays**, who suggested the Draco baking idea (I thought a little fluff was needed), and **Padfoots-Sister5**, for helping me get back into my groove of writing and such. I love you all, and please don't be hesitant to **leave a review, comment, or idea!** It's been so long! Shall we have a good old round of questions? :D

**Do you think Draco's nightmares have dissapeared? For good?**

**What do you guys think about Hannah and the role that she will play?**

For those of you who've seen the film, **WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2?** Didn't our Draco look absolutley flawless?

That's about it for now. Love to all! x


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: Why is Dramione so utterly sexy? I own nothing but the plot.

Ch. 42

"Hermione, are you still up there? Goodness, we're all waiting!" Mrs. Granger called up the stairs, as Mr. Granger and I waited downstairs in the sitting room that led into the hallways. There was a faint noise that was meant to be a response from Hermione, and her mother crossed her arms, something I could easily see her daughter doing at that moment. The similarities between the two, and her parents in general, were uncanny. Mrs. Granger clucked her tongue in disapprovement.

"She's not usually like this," She stated, and I smirked.

"Not to worry, I'm sure she'll be down soon."

Mr. Granger and I sat on the couch while we waited for Hermione to arrive downstairs. It was awfully quiet, and we had only said a few words to each other, so I couldn't help but feel awkward. I wanted Granger to just sod whatever she was doing and get her stubborn arse down here already! In silent resentment at her lateness, I began to play with the silver cufflinks on my suit. It was the suit I'd bought that day at the mall. Hermione had insisted that I wear it the moment her parents had told us that we were being taken out.

Yes, her parents were taking us out to dinner.

Hermione was terribly excited. Apparently it was the most exclusive Italian restaurant in all of London. _Capri_, she'd told me was its name. It was nice of them to do this, but if I had to be honest, I wouldn't have minded a nice home cooked meal by Mrs. Granger and another night under the stars with Hermione. In a way, I felt guilty. Before I'd gotten here, Hermione had already warned her parents on what I was accustomed to – fancy restaurants, the best clothing, everything a Malfoy held near and dear to the heart. Fact was, I didn't care. The Granger's made me feel welcome, and their home was ridiculously nice. It was large yet simple, and almost adorably homey. I supposed they were doing this to make me see that Muggles could –

"Sorry, sorry I'm late!" I heard Hermione's voice exclaim, and as I looked up, my heart lodged in my throat.

Hurrying down the stairs, Hermione was a vision in red. Her curls lay loose and tamed against her shoulders, and as she rushed down, they flew behind her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mrs. Granger smile as I rose from my spot to greet Hermione. Immeadiatley, Mr. Granger left to start the car.

"What did I miss?" Hermione asked breathlessly, looking at me with imploring eyes. Her breath was heightened, making her chest rise with each intake of air. The more I looked at her, the more difficult I found it to retain oxygen in the room. She was wearing the red dress that she had tried on at that store, and if it had looked good then, it looked absolutely wonderful on her now. In all of her simplicity, with her wide eyes and rosy lips, she looked...radiant. Apparently I hadn't answered her in time – I couldn't recall, but pretty soon she was calling for my attention.

"Draco?" Hermione murmured with quizzical eyes. "What's wrong?"

Immediately, her hands went to smooth down her dress self conciously, and her bottom lip disappeared behind her teeth. I couldn't restrain myself from grabbing her wrist.

"Don't." I assured her, and that was all I had to say before she was herself again. She smiled, and her eyes sparkled, and I had the strangest urge to cradle her face against my fingers. _How had I not seen it before..._

There was a sharp beep from outside the house and I instantly jerked my head towards the door. Mrs. Granger smiled before beckoning us over to grab our coats.

"You both look lovely." Jean smiled, who looked stunning herself. With a peck on her daughter's head, we entered the frigid cold, and quickly made our way into the car.

VVVVV

The ride over was peaceful, if anything. It was also rather soothing in a strange way. As Draco answered the casual questions that had turned into a slight conversation with my parents, I rested my head against the seat and faced the window. Something very close to excitement bubbled within my stomach, and I smiled lightly as I watched cars pass us on the road. It was just so comfortable here, and the normality of having Draco in my car along with my parents relaxed me to the point of which I was surprised. I turned my head to gaze at him from underneath my eyelashes.

He paid me no attention, as he was too busy answering all of my mother's questions about how he was enjoying his stay, but I didn't mind. I simply watch him speak – the way he smiled graciously at my mother, and the way his mouth moved when he formed certain words. Lamplights brought different areas of his face to light as we passed them, and it was interesting to see how they bounced off of his features, making his skin and hair look angelic and glowing in the artificialty of it all.

Somehow while watching him, my fingers had ended up in his. I hadn't realized until he'd squeezed my hand lightly, almost fragilely.

VVVVV

As we pulled up to the restaurant, I tensed.

Did I know why?

Not at all.

Hermione was all smiles as she reached to her side to undo her seatbelt, and I paused for a moment to watch her. She noticed, and the edges of her lips came to curve upward in a slight quirk.

"Need help?" Hermione asked me, her eyes lowering to the belt that was still resting firmly against my abdomen. I cleared my throat and turned, so that she wouldn't see my fingers clumsily unclasping the belt.

"Don't be ridiculous." I responded, scoffing and getting out of the car. Hermione had been about to say something in dull response – I could see the words starting to form against her lips, but as soon as my hand reached out to assist her from the car, her eyes softened.

Hermione grabbed my hand, the flesh of her palm soft against mine, and smirked slightly. "And when did you become such a gentleman, _Malfoy_? If I didn't know any better, I would expect you to be getting ready to push me into a mud puddle."

A grin that resembled a smirk more than anything spread across my face as we walked into the glimmering restaurant. "Not now, Granger, we're in public. I'm saving that for later."

Even better than the feeling whilst saying that, was the feeling that I got when I heard Hermione choke in shock beside me.

VVVVV

As we waited for a waiter to come take our orders, my eyes glanced lazily around the room as Hermione told her parents stories about our year so far at Hogwarts. I had never been inside a Muggle restaurant before – mother would probably keel over in shock and father would've probably spit in my face if he'd known I was here – but nontheless, it was quite nice. It was fancy, that was for sure, classy and refined while modern and aged all at the same time. The large airy spaces were bathed in warm, bright glows of light, and the tables were placed by large, long, rectangular mirrors that made the streets seem longer and larger in the light. Soft, billowy curtains parted to show the view outside, and from our table we could see the busy roads of london and a few classic landmark buildings. Not as if I knew exactly where the hell we were. Hermione and her parents had called it downton London, and I had left it at that.

Now that I thought of it, the Muggle restaurant reminded me in some ways of a magical restaurant I had once visited with my parents when I was younger. I couldn't recall the name of it for the life of me, not like I cared, but there were a few things here and there that reminded me of it. The chandelier was nearly identical, large and sparkling with crystals, while lampshade like lights hung over the tables respectively. Suddenly, I was brought back to my time in the Pureblooded restaurant, wincing at the memory of my father twisting my wrist violently under the round table where no one could see, when I had failed to greet one of his buisiness partners properly. I had had a bracelet shaped bruise there for days after that.

Apparently I had been too absorbed in the memory to notice Hermione tapping my shoulder.

"Draco?" She asked, and at her second tap I flinched. Hermione smiled slightly, not bothering to question it. "What are you ordering?"

I took the moment to notice a snarky looking waiter standing over me, pencil poised over a fancy looking notepad as he waited. With a small glare at the man, I turned to Hermione and shrugged.

"Whatever you're having," I muttered, not in the mood to look at the menu. The memory of my father still felt like a ten pound bag of sand in my chest.

"Brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed, and it was all I heard, for I had already zoned out again while she ordered. Somehow, I felt incredibly rude, although I was probably the only one who noticed it. With a shaky hand, I reached for my water goblet. With little conversation, Hermione was too busy chatting animatedly with her parents about school, I stayed that way until the food arrived, unbearably conscious of Hermione's soft leg rubbing against mine under the table everytime she moved.

VVVVV

"So, Draco," Mr. Granger addressed me from across the square dining table, "How have you been doing in your classes at Hogwarts? Not better than our Hermione I hope," he chuckled, and the whole table joined him. I looked over to see Hermione biting her lip with a small smile.

"Quite well, Mr. Granger. And much to your surprise, I'm practically up there with Hermione in grades."

Hermione spluttered over her food and I smugly turned back to playing with the neck of the water glass in front of me. She could try and ignore it as much as she wanted to, but in the end it was true. Hermione held first place as the smartest student in all of Hogwarts, and I not so begrudingly (anymore), held the second.

Mrs. Granger smiled warmly at me. "Is that so?"

I smirked. "Well, yes. Obviously, I best Hermione in Potions and Defense Against The Dark Arts, no matter what she might claim. We also rival each other in Charms -"

"But I'm better than you at Ancient Runes and Herbology." Hermione quipped, giggling over her glass. I sneered.

"Yes, but who cares about those two classes besides you?" Hermione shrugged and rolled her eyes at her mother, who in turn gazed warmly at the two of us.

"Such a pair, you two are. Is it always like this?" She asked, and I found myself shrugging.

"Yes." Hermione said curtly, before sticking her tongue out at me. Had the waiter slipped something in her water? She seemed so bubbly and...content.

Mr. Granger cleared his throat before adding, "No surpise there."

Suddenly, there was silence at the table of four. Mrs. Granger still had remnants of a bemused smile on her face, while her husband looked incredibly stony. There was silence for a moment, and all I could hear was the buzz of clinking glasses and the scrapes of forks against china in the room.

"I'm sorry, Sir?" I asked cautiously. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hermione's head duck down for a moment. Mr. Granger regarded me with a cool gaze, as if waiting for my emotions to bubble over. He cleared his throat again.

"I mean it's no surprise to hear that you and my daughter bicker over everything, given your...history."

"_Dad_." Hermione hissed quietly, looking at him in disbelief. My throat closed and my hands went clammy underneath the table. How had I not expected this to come up...

"Mr. Granger..."

"No need to apologize. It comes as no surprise to me."

Mrs. Granger muttered something to her husband before shooting me an apologetic look, but it was too late. I could already feel the anger starting to rise in my chest, ripping and roaring away at my insides. I tried my best to look unfazed, but as I looked at the man, I couldn't help but fix him with a steely gaze.

"And why exactly, would that be?" I challenged. Hadn't he realized that I had been trying to make up for my past fuck-ups this whole time?

Mr. Granger chuckled almost discreetly. "I think you know why, Mr. Malfoy. It takes a person themselves to discover their true character, to admit that old habits die hard. You might have completely fazed my daughter into thinking –"

"Brian, _enough_, don't cause a scene!" Mrs. Granger murmured, looking over at her daughter's now glazed eyes.

"No, Mrs. Granger, he's right," I said calmly, trying to keep my anger at a natural level. I felt so embarrassed, and I hated it. I despised it, just as I despised being vulnerable. "Old habits do die hard, Mr. Granger. I'm not going to sit here and act like I don't know what you're insinuating. I've thought about my actions more times than I can count. I regret what I did to your daughter, and I've apologized. She's fully accepted my apology –"

"You can't tell me that! Why in her right mind would she be able to _fully_ forgive you? You think that she's erased all previous memories of you? All the name calling, all the hurtful gestures towards her? Well I can tell you right now that she won't, and that she can't. Don't you dare act like one apology has changed my opinion about you, because I'll tell you something Mr. Malfoy, you weren't the one who had to hold her sobbing form whenever she'd come home from school." Mr. Granger said harshly, and to restrain myself from whipping my wand out on him, I clenched my hands against the table, my fork and knife long forgotten on my plate. How could this be happening, right here, right now?

I couldn't bear to look at Hermione. I could practically feel the sadness and disbeleif coming from her in waves.

"That may be true, Sir. I can't expect Hermione to diminsh her previous thoughts of me – I wouldn't want her to. But what I _can_ say is that your daughter is an extremely brilliant witch that I'm proud to call one of my closest friends. I trust her unconditionally, whether she may realize it or not. For you to question that, questions everything that Hermione has helped me become – a better person. And with all due respect, Sir, I will stop at nothing to show your daughter how much I appreciate that. I also appreciate her mind, as you do, and so I think that before you assume things, you should let her tell you herself."

The world seemed to spin as I croaked to a close. There were so many things I wanted to say at the moment, but I couldn't seem to find any adequate words. What had managed to spew out of my mouth had been incredibly messy, but most of all, true to the very last syllable. I wasn't upset that this man, Hermione's father, judged me. It was fair of him to. I had demons, and some of them had taken a long time to leash up. What made me upset was that he had spoken_ for_ her. Hermione could speak for _herself_. She could watch out for_ herself_. She wasn't a little girl, and she _certainly_ didn't need to be openly mocked for her choices and her descisions regarding her friends! I wouldn't allow it!

There was an outburst of a clatter and a large, piercing creak, and suddenly, Hermione was out of her seat. She stood, rigid, her fists at her side, hidden between tufts of the soft fabric of her dress. I looked at her from underneath my underneath my lashes, and from what I could see, anger and abhorrence covered her face like a mask. Tears glossed over her eyes, and her lip quivered, more out of anger than sadness I was sure.

_Hermione..._

Not one word was spoken before Hermione could be stopped from storming out of the restaurant. I didn't watch her leave. I couldn't.

There were alot of things I could've done at that moment. For one, I could've apologized to her parents. I could've asked her father to forgive my outburst and begged her wonderful mother to look this over. Secondly, I could've done the one thing my heart was craving and chase Hermione out of the restaurant.

I looked up after some time, taking in her parents visages. Mr. Granger looked like he was struggling internally but was still rather stony-faced, while Mrs. Granger looked apologetic, shocked, and embarrassed. If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought her eyes looked oddly glassy...

I chose the latter.

"Excuse me," I muttered bluntly, and before anyone could object, I went after the girl that stood for everything I had turned into.

VVVVV

I didn't know how I had gotten out of there so fast, but as soon as I had exited the restaurant, cold air had enveloped me into a frosty hug, and a chill had settled into my now free lungs.

I had disapparated.

Sloppily, nonethless, due to the tears streaming down my face. As soon as I'd found an abandoned alleyway, I had disappeared, leaving Draco behind. With my parents.

With my _father_.

I was so embarrassed. Ashamed. Furious. I had trusted my father to keep my former feelings about Draco a secret, and he had just laid it out on the table for everyone to see. Draco had always thought that his comments had never really hurt me, that they had never truly burned my soul, but they had, and he didn't know but he had apologized anyways. My brain felt muddled. I didn't know what to think.

I didn't know what to _do_.

I wanted to tear at my clothing, at the walls, at everything. I wanted to rip my very soul apart, to smash things and watch them clatter to the ground in broken fragments.

The house was dark as I entered it, and I didn't bother to turn on the lights. Instead I bounded up the stairs, stopping halfway up the staircase. What had I done? Why had I left him? How had I _let_ this happen?

As if I would've been able to stay. My father, the man I'd trusted to keep his opinions about Draco quiet, had betrayed me, and I felt an odd hate for him.

But then Draco had stepped in, trying to save the day in a valiant attempt. My father didn't understand, did he? He didn't understand how I'd managed to care for the boy who had tormented me.

Change, that's what it was all about. Draco had changed, he was getting there, and whether my father saw it or not, _I_ did –

Something in the dark house creaked, and I whipped out my wand, startled. The house remained still, as quiet as a mouse except for my startled breaths.

"_Lumos_," a familiar voice murmured, and a soft burst of light emitted from the left of the living room. My heart twinged uncomfortably as I saw his face. Lit up by the faint glow of light, Draco looked more handsome than ever.

"You know," he said, his voice oddly blank,"You really shouldn't leave the door unlocked."

My heartbeat increased as a broken half smile graced his face. It didn't reach his eyes. What could I possibly say?

"Draco, I -"

"Don't," Draco said harshly, and I cringed in fear. A few more tears leaked out of my eyes, creating a warm path down my cheek as he ascended through the room and made his way towards me. His footfalls were soft against the carpet. He was closer to me now, and he leaned against the bottom of the stairs. He didn't come up, almost as if he were afraid to approach me. Draco smiled, more to himself than me.

"You know, Blaise once told me that there were certain things that were obvious to other's than myself. I didn't understand it then." Draco shrugged as he put his hands in his pockets.

"And now?" I croaked softly from the top of the stairs.

VVVVV

"I understand completely." I spoke smoothly. I laughed, and it sounded short and bitter. Perhaps it was for myself more than her. I sobered and stared at the girl at the top of the stairs. Hermione looked nearly dillusional, staring at me in confusion. Her hair was mussed slightly, and I presumed it was from her disapparation. And her lips, red and swollen just like her eyes. How had that happened?

"I'm sorry." I said aloud, and she was so quiet it was as if I was talking to myself. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was a git to your father and –"

"And he deserved it." Hermione interrupted harshly, her fingernails digging into the wooden rail of the staircase. "He didn't give you a chance to explain yourself." Her voice wavered. "And -"

"Well can you blame him, Hermione?" I yelled, becoming aggravated. "I was a fucking _git_ to you! For _years_! And I'm not going to let you pretend I wasn't! Your father was right! No matter what I do, _what_ I say, that image of me will always be imprinted in your head!"

"That's not true. That's not true, Draco, I l-"

"_DON'T!" _I spat, feeling my emotion boiling rapidly underneath my skin."Your father cares for you! I was wrong, as I always am! I'm no good for you, and your father knocked me out of the _fucking_ fairytale world I was living in with you! I don't belong here! I don't belong with you! I don't belong in a place where people LOVE each other!" I yelled.

Tears pricked my eyes and it stung. I didn't know what or who to be mad at – Hermione, her father, my father, or myself.

All of them. I was mad at all of them.

Scratch that, I was fucking_ enraged_. How _dare_ Hermione try to show me that I could care, that I mattered, how _dare_ her father show me that it could all crumble at the flick of my wrist, how _dare_ my father degrade me, how dare I be so stupid and actually try and show someone they _mattered_? How dare I let my emotions get the best of me?

How dare I be vulnerable. How _dare_ I let someone in.

A memory flashed before my eyes for the second time that night before I could stop it. My father stood above my crumpled form that rested bloodied and bruised on the floor of his large study.

_"You are no son of mine,"_ Lucius spat.

No, father. Perhaps I wasn't.

Hermione paused, her breath faltering with each rise and fall of her chest. A dark looked passed her eyes, and before I could object, she spoke, her voice as strong as I had ever heard it.

"You're wrong. As much as you try to say that this is your fault, your undoing? We share _everything_, we have ever since that night in the bathroom on the seventh floor –"

"That's a lie," I spat harshly. A part of me wanted to resort back to my old ways, but an even larger part of me wanted to hold that segment of myself down and never allow it to become free. I gazed up at Hermione from her perch at the top of the stairs. "You have no idea how I'm feeling."

Hermione laughed, and her voice sounded dead in my ears.

"Like your world is falling apart. Like all of the structure that you've built around yourself is crumbling –"

"Shut up, you filthy–" I struggled, biting the inside of my mouth so hard that I tasted blood. My hands shook and a sliver of sweat trailed down my neck and onto my back. I wouldn't say it, I couldn't. If I did, then her father was right. I hadn't changed. I had never raised my voice at her, even in all the years I had actually hated her. So why in Salazar's name couldn't I control it now? My eyes found Hermione's, and to my surprise, she didn't look hurt. She looked sad, delicate, but not hurt.

I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to lo –

_Fuck_, I didn't even know what I wanted.

With a few quick strides, I was standing before her, my body inches away from brushing against hers. Hermione's eyes stayed glued to mine as I advanced on her. A flicker of doubt flashed through her eyes before settling into a questioning gaze, challenging me. My actions.

Before I could restrain myself, a trembling hand came to rest against her face, cradling her cheek in my palm. The warmth from the contact hummed within the space between my fingers, and I let out a harsh, broken sigh. I watched her for a moment, the way her eyes scoured mine for a hint of what I would do next, the way her makeup ran down her cheeks in a light, nearly translucent film. Hermione's eyes bore into mine, grey reflecting into warm, chocolate brown.

"_What are you doing_?" She whispered incredulously, her eyes searching mine.

I kissed her, roughly, possessively, wantonly. It didn't take but less than a second for Hermione's lids to flutter close and brush against my face, a broken noise flooding into me via her mouth. I gripped her waist, hugging her against me as she opened her lips for better access to her mouth. A hand flew up to my hair and tugged. I attacked her mouth with all of the confusion, anger, and lust that I felt, kissing her so hard that it hurt my lips. Hermione's enthusiasm met mine in level but not in roughness. Her kisses were firm yet gentle, but I didn't take them lightly, instead opting to respond by roughly lifting her and setting her on the rail of the stairs. It was then I became evident of the hardness between my legs, the twisting in my stomach, and the lack of oxygen in my lungs.

I pulled away for a moment, regaining my sight and my breath, panting. Blind hands searched Hermione's body, for what, I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't care. All that mattered was that I was drowning in Hermione's essence – her scent, her aura, her hair. _Her_. Everything about her.

Hermione had let out a whine at the loss of the contact, but it didn't last long, because I had immediatley transferred my ministrations to her neck, leaving soft, open mouthed kisses against her collarbone. My heart rammed against my ribcage spasmodically.

"Draco," Hermione sighed, and the way she'd moaned my name could've undone me alone. As I stood between her legs, she wrapped them around my torso, completely entrapping me. Not that I minded, I realized, as she moved against me. By now, I thought as I brought my face up again to kiss her her soft lips, the house would be filled with our noises of desire. Should her parents come in, we'd both be killed.

It didn't matter however, as I simply picked up the girl that was wrapped around my body and carried her to her bedroom. Hermione didn't spare any time, kissing me quickly and longingly as she reached behind her to open the door. Senses blind, we stumbled into the dark room. It was quiet except for the sound our breaths and lingering moans. Once again, I didn't bother to turn on the lights, throwing my wand to the floor as I slammed the door shut, Hermione's gasps of pleasure filling my ears.

I had never kissed her this way. Hell, I had never kissed anyone like this before! Sure, we had had our share of pleasing kisses. But nothing could beat this, the spare moment where we had both just let the longing take over. Her kisses were soothing and right, and everything I wanted. In a thought of dazedness, I wondered how I had stopped myself from kissing her before.

It was the anger that made things so passionate. I was livid, and Hermione seemed to be feeding off of it, the pleasure radiating off of her in waves of voiced whimpers and sighs. At some point in time, my jacket had been shoved unceremoniously off of my body and Hermione's shoes had been kicked off as we raced each other–mouths still attatched–to the bed. After a few more languorous kisses, Hermione pulled away, and something in me clawed and urged to pull her back to me. She turned to me, her hands faltering on the buttons of my shirt. Her hair was a frazzled mess in the moonlight, and her lips were swollen to the point where they looked nearly inflamed, but nonetheless, she was beautiful. Breathtaking, even.

My groin ached and my stomach twisted violently as she her worried her bottom lip, eyebrows creased. She knew what I wanted. I hadn't planned on holding back this time, and with her enthusiasm I knew she wanted it too. I also knew that she wasn't ready. It was for the best, I realized, and I wasn't mad. As much as I wanted her at that moment, we both knew that we would already regret so much in the in the morning, and that there was no need to add onto the heavily growing list of what was wrong and what was happening. I expected her to get up, to scoot away from me after she realized what we had just done. Trying not to look bothered, even after all of what had just happened, I sat up and swung one leg over the bed, getting ready to make what would be an extremely painful and odd exit.

"Stay." Hermione breathed, her words ghosting over me in a single, faint burst of air. I paused for a moment, regarding her with conflicted eyes. Her lidded, conflicted gaze mirrored mine. But then she smiled, faintly, her fingertips inches away from mine on the now wrinkled bed sheet.

_Please._

And so I stayed. I crawled back into the bed, and our bodies fit against each other's symmetrically and excruciatingly. I stared into darkness, my feelings racing through the numbness of my brain. Hermione sighed, her breath making the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I looked at her then, surprised when I saw that her eyes didn't meet mine. Eyelids covering her brown orbs, she looked peaceful in her sleep. I mirrored her, shutting my eyes and letting the darkness consume me.

_Until the morning_, I thought.

VVVVV

DRAMIONE SHIPPERS REJOICE! After 41 chapters, I finally managed to give you guys what you were craving, and I sure as hell hope you guys found it to be satisfactory! I had _alot_ of fun writing this. I bet towards the end you guys expected smut, didn't you, you naughty little readers ;D! But knowing my writing, I think we'll have to wait for that. I really hope I did this long awaited kiss justice. I love you guys, and I wanted it to be as perfect as it could possibly be. Alot of questions are going to be answered in the next chapters, so don't worry if some of the things in this chapter are a little loose ended. **Please feel free to leave a review, they're the cookies to my milk, and I love responding to you guys! Also feel free to ask any questions!** Love to all! x

HOLD UP, WE HAVE QUESTIONS!

**Will things go smoothly for Dramione? **

**What will Draco do about Hermione's parents!**

**Do they finally realize that they just freaking belong together!**

**Draco still has issues with his father, will Hermione be able to help?**

**As for this last question, feel free to come up with one to ask me! x**


	43. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I own nothing! But my offer still stands for Draco in my bed.

Ch. 43

Waking up, I saw red.

Literally.

I reached up, blurry eyed, to grab at the tuft of soft red fabric that hung over my face. Pulling it down as if it were a blanket, light flooded my features, making me cringe slightly.

It only took three seconds to remember myself.

I jerked up, groaning as my head sloshed around within my skull. My heartbeat thudded against my chest as my eyes fluttered closed against the palm of my hand.

Oh, God.

What had I done.

Forcing my eyes to open and accept the fact of what had happened last night, I worried my lip as I glanced worriedly around the room. How could I not remember. The evidence that Draco had been in my room last night was obvious, from the slight dent in the sheets beside me to the scent of his cologne that clung in the air like a pleasant mist.

My stomach twirled around in circles as I recalled last night.

I had never seen Draco so...livid. Not only that, but weak as well.

I had never seen that mix of emotion cloud his features since that night in the bathroom. And he had looked utterly beautiful.

What had I said to him? Why couldn't I remember? All of it had been a blur. All I remembered was arguing and then –

His lips were attacking mine.

Fire rushed through my bloodstream at the thought, and I had to brace myself against the headboard of my bed.

_Merlin..._

My eyes shot down to where the skirt of my dress lay frazzled against my thighs, riding up nearly all the way to my crotch. Hurriedly, I grabbed it and pulled it down as if someone would see. The strangest thought entered my head, and I shot it down before I could really process it.

_No_. No, things hadn't gotten the chance to go that far. But it almost had...

Hadn't it?

I needed time to sort out my head. To rethink my actions. Process them, rather. And the fact that Draco was only down the hall was dwindling my time to do so down to measly seconds. Minutes, if I was lucky.

A shower. A change of clothes. Then a confrontation.

I nodded to myself, regaining my composure. Yes, that was the logical thing to do right?

The most logical at the moment, anyways. Grabbing a towel from the dresser, I gathered my hare-brained thoughts and threw them out of my head and into the water as I stepped into the scalding shower.

VVVVV

_"You're wrong! As much as you try to say that this is your fault, your undoing? We share everything, we have ever since that night in the bathroom on the seventh floor –"_

_"That's a lie, you have no idea how I'm feeling!"_

_"Like your world is falling apart. Like all of the structure that you've built around yourself is crumbling –"_

_"Shut up, you filthy–!"_

**Mudblood?**

I paused outside of Draco's door, hair dripping onto the parquet floor.

"Merlin, Hermione," I scolded myself as I took my wand out to dry my hair. I had forgotten to from nerves. There wasn't any noise coming from inside of Draco's room. I had expected the sound of a shower, or even rustling about...but it was silence. Completely mute, almost as if he'd never been there at all.

Sucking in a breath and gritting my teeth, I rapped my knuckles against the door.

Not one moment later, Draco's clear voice resounded from within. "Come in."

The door creaked as I stepped in, my bare feet pressing into the plush carpet. I turned, and my heart strangled my throat.

Draco was sitting calmly at the side his bed, hands linked, eyes down. He didn't even regard me as I announced myself.

"Oh, good," I smiled quietly. "You're dressed."

I faltered as his eyes came up to observe me. I was, without use of a better word, flabbergasted. And unbearably nervous. Draco smirked.

"You're not."

I looked down to see the differences of our clothing. A jumper and pajama pants to a black suit and turtleneck.

"At least not fully, anyway." He added, not even bothering too look at me. He was avoiding me. Avoiding _it_. A low thrum of anger and something uncommonly close to embarrassment bubbled in my abdomen.

"Stop it, Draco." I said quietly, daring him to look me in the face. "You know why I'm here." I said, and it was as if I was talking to a wall.

Draco's eyes shot up to glare softly at mine. He scanned my face, the smallest trace of a sneer etched on his face.

"Well, bugger me." He said patronizingly, standing up from the side of the bed and making his way toward me. "Tell me, Granger, why are you here?"

I stared up at him, wondering what the hell I was doing. I said nothing. Draco's eyes flickered from my eyes to my mouth for a moment, and spark ignited in my head. After what seemed to be minutes of just staring at each other, I spoke.

"Do you regret it?" I asked boldly, all the while questioning myself. Draco, obviously shocked at my honesty, looked as if he were about to faint. He turned, making his way toward the bed again. My eyes caught something brushing against the hem of the bedsheets. He scoffed.

"I could ask you the same question, couldn't I? You didn't exactly push me away." Draco muttered, and although I knew the answer in my head, I paused. Draco revealed his wand and levitated his suitcase so that it floated behind him. Realization struck me, hard.

"What...what are you doing?"

Draco shook his head. "Don't be daft, Hermione."

He was leaving. Because of last night, he was going to disappear and shut himself away from me. My fingers curled at the thought of losing him. And I had just gotten him to open up to me! After weeks! Months! Hell, years if I really thought of it! Now, it was all being thrown away?

_No, Merlin, no. Not like this._

"You don't have to! To leave! Last night didn't change anything!" I lied. Sure, I had kissed him before. But not like that. Never like _that_. I had moaned his name, for Godric's sake! Draco fixed me with a stony look before softening his gaze.

"Yes, it did. It changed _everything_, Hermione. Whether you want to beleive it or not."

I stood in shock, my knees nearly buckling beneath me at his statement. Draco Malfoy had just gotten as close to confessing something as I thought he never would, if that made sense.

The subject of his statement lingered in the air like smoke, trapping me and making me dizzy. I knew things had changed. It was written all over his face. Whether it was for the better or the worse, I didn't know.

"I...I - "

_Please._

"And besides," Draco shrugged, frowning slightly. "I've overstayed my welcome. It wouldn't be good for me to stay under the same roof as your parents...your Father especially." He smiled weakly, grasping the edge of the headboard with his long fingers. His ring glinted.

When I didn't say anything, he walked to me with his luggage in tow, and did something unexpected. I felt his hand in mine.

"Walk me downstairs?" Draco murmured, regarding me with stormy grey eyes.

At that moment, I realized how much it hurt that he was leaving.

VVVVV

After finding a convenient place for Draco to apparate in my backyard, we stood face to face. I still held his hand. He looked as if he wanted to say something, so I waited.

"Tell your Mother I'm sorry for being such a tosser. And your Father as well." Draco muttered, looking off somewhere behind me. I suspected he was gazing into the icy pool. Cold air whipped around us, still but deadly, with just enough wind to ruffle Draco's hair. I wanted to reach up and smooth it against his head, but I restrained myself. I didn't want to risk making him more uncomfortable than he looked. Or letting something else happen. No matter how hard Draco tried to conceal his emotion from me, I could always see it, resting just beneath the unknowingly transparent guard he constantly put up.

I nodded.

"You don't have to go, you know," I murmured, looking up at him earnestly. His face was halfway between stoicness and confusion, but I continued. "You really don't. You aren't meant to leave for a few more days."

Draco looked down, only for a moment, to where our hands linked, fingertips tickling against our clothes. Something very close to a sigh emitted from his lips, almost as if he was dissapointed. It stung more than anything he could've chosen to say. Then, he let go.

_I don't want you to go._

Draco stepped back, to look at me, I suppose, his fingers tightening on the handle of his trunk. Warmth flickered through his eyes, and with a small smirk, he chuckled. "Don't worry, Granger. I think a few days away from here will do me some good. Perhaps I'll get used to having some solitude again. To think."

I smiled back lamely, not wanting him to see how badly his departure was hurting me. Christ, what had I thought, that he would stay until Christmas? It was my fault for getting attached. He had told me long ago that he would be leaving before that, but it still hurt like raging hell that he was leaving early. But could I blame him? Of course, I understood.

Draco's eyes met mine again, blue-grey crashing perfectly against honey chocolate. With a few more steps back, I could see the beginnings of disapparation starting to surround him.

"Have a Happy Christmas, Hermione." Draco said softly, an unfathomable expression swallowing his features. And with a gust of high, rushing wind, he was gone.

I stared at the spot where he had just been standing merely seconds ago, watching the grass sway from the remnants of wind.

I sighed, and turned, trudging back into the house. My eyes stung and blurred over.

There were so many things running through my head. So many things unsaid.

VVVVV

With a sharp crack and a gust of air, I found myself standing on the gray cobblestones of Malfoy Manor. I turned to see that I had landed past the large guarding gate, which I found strange. The wards had obviously been altered so that people of the Malfoy descent could enter without pretense. I looked around at the courtyard surrounding the Manor. Merlin, how this place had changed since...Nontheless, I dragged myself forward, forcing myself to move. I didn't want to be out here too long. It had never been particularly welcoming, but it certainly had never been this disheveled.

The courtyard was strewn with leaves and the shrubs were dying out, dark green leaves sputtering out onto the dark cobblestone walkway that stretched out. The garden-like maze was empty, void of the usual things I saw, like House-elves tending to the landscape, or the white peacocks that had once proudly strutted along the path. All in all, it was nothing but a mass of gray space. Where the hell had all that gone? It nearly looked like a ghost town. Swallowing the eerie feeling and placing it in my gut, I trudged towards the grand doors. There was no House-elf to open the door for me, or to sense my presence, so I did something that for the life of me I couldn't remember doing _ever_.

I knocked. Actually touched the door. I smirked, bemused now at the stupidity of it all...

There was a sharp crack from within, and before I could determine who was behind it, the large, dark, intricate double doors creaked open, revealing the warm yet slightly gloomy house within. At first, nothing met my eyes but -

"Oh!" Someone squeaked, and my eyes shot down to reveal the frail body of Missy, one of my mother's many House-elves.

_Something_ squeaked, rather.

"Mr. Malfoy, such a pleasure to see you again, do come in!" She pipped, before curving her already hunched body into something of a bow. My throat twinged uncomfortably at the thought of Hermione seeing this, what with her stupid little House-elf campaign. What had it been called again? S.P.A.T.? Merlin, it shouldn't have mattered...

"Hello, Missy," I grumbled, as she immediatley releived me of my trunk and let me into the warm house. The ice that seemed to cover my skin melted instantly, and I nearly sighed. Taking in my surroundings, I was happy to see that nothing had really changed all that much. The large entrance was a little darker, but the extravagant arabian rugs still remained and the large sitting room slightly dusty albeit rather the same. It gave me chills to be in here, with all of the disturbing memories that the large house held, but it was still my home.

My Mother still remained.

"Where is my Mother?" I asked calmly, masking my slight panic with frigidness as I adressed the small Elf. Missy gestured to upstairs.

"The Lady of the House is in Her Grace's study! Shall Missy escort you up there, Sir?" Missy asked dutifully, and I merely shook my head before making my way to the grand marble staircase. The coldness of the rock vibrated through my feet, even though the house was comfortably warm.

"Another thing. Is anyone else...here?" I faltered, not making eye contact with the Elf. Although the Dark Lord and his followers hadn't visited since earlier this summmer, one could never be too sure...

Missy took a second to register, and had my father been home he would've punished her for her mere moment of thought. "No Sir, just The Lady." She bowed, and without another word and dragged myself up the stairs. I debated for a moment before pausing again.

"Thank you," I murmured quietly, and I didn't think Missy had heard it. If she had, I didn't turn to watch her wipe her large, glassy orbs on her pillowcase.

A girl with bushy hair and a comforting demeanor would've smiled. I shoved that thought out of my head as well.

VVVVV

I hadn't realized how empty the house would be after he'd gone. Or how lonely it would be.

Having my first breakfast alone since I'd gotten here, I grimly scanned over The Daily Prophet. It really was a bit late for breakfast, but I wasn't in the mood to be precise.

_'Celestina Warbeck gives birth to a bubbly baby girl! See our coverage and never before seen pictures on page eight!'_

_'Ministry of Magic to strengthen wards around employee homes, due to the recent attacks made towards Ministry. workers.'_

_'Has Dumbledore lost it?'_

I sighed, throwing the paper down onto the table. There was nothing reliable in The Prophet anymore. It had become just as worthless as a Wizarding gossip magazine! Not ever since it had been rumored to have been taken over by the dark side. But that was the least of our worries. The higher ranks of their side would not be worrying over something as trivial as a newspaper, and our side wouldn't either.

Harry had been meeting with Dumbledore regularly, under the promise that he would reveal nothing to Ron or me. He hadn't said it, but I knew. It was only a matter of time. And I would be prepared.

We would all have to be.

VVVVV

I had only been in my Mother's study a handful of times, and as I had matured, the number of times had lessened to even smaller than that.

I had been standing in the same spot for minutes, determining whether to just barge in or –

_Draco, don't be a twat._

I pressed a flattened palm against the cold door and pushed slightly, so that it creaked open about two or three inches. A warm glow emitted from within, and it was the first bright color I had seen since I'd entered The Manor. I cleared my throat and revealed myself, warmth crawling through my body. The warm glow of the fireplace was the only source of light save for the few lamps that lit up the incredibly large space. Nothing in here had changed, as far as I could remember.

The blood red carpet still remained, plush and clean as if it had just been placed yesterday, and the bookshelves looked neat and tidy. Portraits and landscape paintings clung to the walls, and the large arched windows were out of view, covered by dark curtains. My Mother's grand desk gleamed, and I spotted rare artifacts on the shelf behind it.

My entrance had caused the slightest bit of attention, and I heard my Mother's warm yet commanding voice emit from somewhere in the large room.

"Missy? Just leave the tea on the table beside the chair, I shall retreive it when I'm finished." She said, her hand coming into view from behind a large, dark red armchair that she sat in. She waved Missy away, unaware that it was me.

"Mother." Was all I could manage to say, and I watched the back of the armchair almost stiffen. My Mother stood up almost simultaneously as I took a weak step forward. She turned to me, grey-blue eyes colliding with ones that were exactly like her own. Her expression crumpled, and her wand clattered to the floor, the sound muffled by the rug. She smiled, breathlessly.

"Draco?"

VVVVV

I had debated on taking a nap before I did something rash, when someone softly knocked on my door. I paused for a moment, breath hitching in my throat.

How silly of me, I thought, frowning. Draco had left hours ago...

"Hermione? Honey, are you in there?" My Mum's voice rang, ricocheting off of the walls that had been filled with mindblowing silence moments before.

"Yes?" I croaked softly, grabbing a book from the bedside table. Knowing she would barge in any moment, I tried to make it seem as if I had been dilligently reading instead of just sitting in suffocating silence.

"Can I come in?"

I didn't answer, knowing that she would just enter anyways as she always did. I didn't have the heart to tell her no. Like clockwork, I watched as her head peeked out from behind the door. Concern flooded her features.

"Sweetheart –"

"I'm fine." I muttered, turning to look out the window. Tears clouded my view as my Mother touched me.

"You don't always have to be fine, you know." She said, tentativley rubbing my back.

"Draco's gone," I said blankly, and my Mother nodded.

"I know. I'm sorry to see him go. Your father –"

"I don't want to talk to about Dad." I said hotly, reaching up to brush at my eyes. It didn't help in the slightest.

The anger and shame I felt at my Father blew my mind. I had never felt a hate, or any dislike for him! But the way he'd treated Draco was not only unacceptable but unexpected from him!

The look that had crossed Draco's face when my Father had outed him was one that I hadn't been able to handle.

"I know, darling. I apologize for last night. It was my idea to go out for dinner, and I should've known better since your Father was already stressed and edgy. I'm sorry for scaring Draco away."

Is that what we had done? After all I had done to make him see that Muggles were just as good? It was all ruined. My Father had spoiled everything! The friendship I had had to delicately build with Draco, the possibility that there could've been something more? All of it was ruined, and I didn't know what I could possibly do to fix it. I could apologize, as I had and would again, but the fact of the matter was if he would accept it.

"He apologized, you know." I mumbled. "Draco told me that he was sorry for being a tosser to you and dad." I sniffed. My Mother smiled, chuckling.

"Well that's sweet. It only shows that he's a gentleman, dear! But he didn't need to apologize. That was your Father's job." Mum tutted, continuously rubbing my back. After a few moments of silence, she muttered something about making me some tea and left the room.

I exhaled loudly once she left, burying my face into my pillow, completely at loss of what to do.

VVVVV

My Mother had nearly attacked me, which was surprising for a Pureblooded, aristocratic woman like herself. The women of the Malfoy family were known their nearly extreme, high strung, even snooty behavior to everyone, whether they were dealing with their own children or not.

"Draco! What are you doing home?" Narcissa exclaimed, searching my eyes as she ran her light, manicured fingers through my hair. She smoothed it, a surprisingly motherly gesture that I hadn't felt or gotten anywhere since the summer. "Is there something wrong?" She inquired, looking up at me. It was then I'd realized that I had gotten taller. And that she had gotten...older..._wearier_.

My Mother was an extremely beautiful woman, as were the rest of the Malfoy women, but due to the strains that had been put on her family, age had started to creep into her features and dismantle her usual youthful appeal. She wasn't shriveled or anything of the sort, but I couldn't help but notice the barely there crinkles at the side of her eyes and forehead, and the faint strands of gray that had began to mix in with the light strands of her practically white blonde hair. Not that that stopped my mother from upkeeping her outfits and general demeanor. It was just that something seemed...different...

Perhaps she was still having trouble recovering from being Imperuised. To be honest, I didn't think that she would _ever_ properly heal.

"Nothing is wrong, Mother," I smiled, trying to put the panic in her eyes at ease. She smiled back then, and I felt the pressure in my chest alleviate itself. "I just decided to come and stay for a while. Hogwarts was far too lonely," I lied. She smiled then, and I felt a little more relieved.

With a snap of Mother's fingers, Missy was standing at the door, perturbed eyes peering into the room. "You called me, Miss?"

"Missy, make sure that lunch is served in a few minutes, Draco must be famished! Also see to Draco's room, should he need anything else." My Mother commanded, although her voice was much gentler than the other times I'd heard her order Missy around. It seemed strange, how empty the house was. It still was overpowered with grandeur, but something seemed to be missing...

"Yes, Madam! Do you or Master Draco require anything else?" She asked, and my Mother shook her head and waved her away.

"That will be all, thank you."

I could've fallen to the ground then, at the utter shock and near concern that I felt. My Mother had just thanked a _House-elf_. Sure, I had done it mere minutes ago, but it was different! I couldn't remember Mother ever thanking an Elf in my life...or anyone that wasn't important, really. My father would've...

I shuddered, not even able to think about it.

Yes, things had quite changed, and more so than I'd thought.

"Is something the matter, Draco? You look like you're about to be sick," Mother noted, her voice laced with concern. She brought a hand to my hair again, stroking it gently. It brought back a memory that was totally unattached to the scenario. Pansy had always stroked my hair when we cuddled in the Slytherin dungeons. Well, more like she'd fawned over me while I sat there uncomfortably. A small, insignificant amount of me nearly missed it.

Hermione came into my vision, her presence ridiculously real.

I turned my back to my Mother, blinking with near bewilderment.

"How have things been...while I was away at school?" I muttered, trying to contain the strange rustling feeling going through my body. What did they call it? Nostalgia?

Mother lowered her eyes, seemingly quiet. When she looked up at me again, her expression was sad and worried.

"There are certainly things that we need to talk about," She said, and before I could respond, I felt her hand leading me to the armchairs.

"Draco, things have changed."

VVVVV

Hello, everyone! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please don't be upset with me! I know, it pains me too that Draco and Hermione have to be separated for a while, but they'll see each other at school, I promise! Plus, Draco got to see his Mother, which he's wanted for a really long time. Sorry for the spelling errors, I still dont have microsoft word. I hope you guys are liking the twists, there's so much more to be revealed! **I have an announcement!** On August 11th, 2010, I started this story! Can you beleive it, its the one year anniversary! I wanted to update on the 11th (to make things special), but once again, real life always gets in the way! I just wanted to say that this anniversary chapter is dedicated to all of you guys, and to the ones that have stuck with this story from the beginning and have kept me going with your incredibly sweet reviews. This story would probably be nonexistent by now if it weren't for all of you incredible readers! I love all of you guys, thanks so much. **Feel free to leave a review in honor of the occasion ;D!** Also, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them and I will get back to you! I also just wanted to update before school starts, which is in two days. Fuck my life haha. Love to all, thanks for being so great!

**P.S., make up some questions or predictions for this fic and leave it in a review!** Love to all! X


	44. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I love you guys. I own nothing.

Ch. 44

I held the cup of tea with both hands. It certainly wasn't the proper way to hold a teacup, but at the moment, I didn't have the energy to care, especially when there were such tendrils of warmth floating between my fingertips.

All I could do was keep my eyes glued to my Mother as she spoke.

"You'll have to pardon the current state of the house...," She said, her voice faltering into a shaky octave. "I haven't been able to bring anyone in to help, and Missy has been busy - "

"It doesn't matter, Mother." I said, trying to assure her. I set my cup of tea onto the coffee table, ignoring the dust as if I hadn't seen it. "I'm here now."

Narcissa pursed her lips. "I hope you haven't come here to take care of me. I can care for myself perfectly."

I didn't bother arguing with her. She hated receiving help from anyone, even if it was her only son.

"No, Mother. I've only come to visit before I return to Hogwarts."

She nodded once, before setting her teacup down as well. "And how are your studies going? How are you liking being Head Boy?"

"My marks are exceptional." I swallowed before answering the second part of her question. All I could think of was the Head Girl. "Being Head Boy is a lot of work, but it's going well."

If that wasn't an understated comment, I didn't know what was.

Mother smiled faintly. "Perhaps it was a good choice that you decided against transferring to Durmstrang then."

I lowered my lids and smiled. I only hoped it didn't look like a grimace...

Father had wanted to send me to Durmstrang when he had been sent to Azkaban. There were more children of Death Eaters there, and in his maniacal mind it would've been best for me. Or himself, rather.

My Mother's cool eyes went blank before turning into a stern gaze. "I trust you've told no one of our...situation?"

I paused for a moment. Perhaps my Mother still didn't count Granger as a person, so maybe not.

"Blaise knows, naturally. But he wouldn't tell anybody, he's known since the beginning." I lied softly, trying my best not to avoid her eyes. If I looked away now, she'd know instantly. A few moments later, Narcissa looked away, seemingly satisfied.

"Good, Draco. You musn't tell a soul." She said, her red, catlike nails piercing the armchair subconciously. Her lips pursed and a twinkle that I hadn't seen in months reappeared in her eyes. "Do my eyes decieve me, or has young Blaise been out and about with the eldest Greengrass girl? What was her name? Dolores...Delicia...–"

"Daphne?" I sputtered, just as I had been about to take another boiling sip of tea. "How would you know of that, Mother?"

She chuckled, brows raised. "I had only been walking past Twilfit and Tattings last week. They'd come in looking for cloaks! He said hello, of course," She said, waving a hand away at my incredulous visage. "So it is true? I think they're both lovely! She's a beautiful girl you know, and Pureblooded of course. We simply _must_ find you a young woman like that, Draco. Perhaps the younger Greengrass, Astoria...? –"

"Mother please, enough," I sighed, trying to control my head. When my Mother wasn't dealing with the constant threat of The Dark Lord or her ailments, her greatest hobby besides Wizard's Chess and shopping was playing matchmaker. I was happy for Blaise, but I certainly couldn't see myself in such a perfect relationship...at least not anymore. Where was the fun in that? There wasn't a challenge. Honey curls covered my eyes and the sweet scent of vanilla almond shampoo blocked my airway.

"Oh, you must have seen this coming, Draco. You're nearly out of school, Darling. We must keep the Malfoy name alive." Narcissa exclaimed, as if my marriage was just another appointment on her schedule. The family mattered, the surname _Malfoy_ mattered.

Love didn't.

But what did I know about love, anyway? I didn't love Granger...

"There are more important things to think about," I muttered, trying to ignore the weird feeling that my thoughts would burst through my mouth any moment. "The Dark Lord is out there, growing stronger. Almost everyone the family knows is involved, and we're being threatened! And Father...is in Azkaban." I gritted.

I didn't dare look at my Mother's face then. We'd never really spoken about where Lucius actually was. That subject had always been avoided.

"I know," Narcissa sighed. "Do you think that I'm unaware of these things, Draco? Your Auntie Bella –"

"Bellatrix is _not_ family to me," I objected, failing at disguising the disgust in my voice. "That woman is nothing more than a _monster_."

Mother closed her eyes, the icy blue orbs going out of view for a moment. "She is my _sister_, Draco. There are things that you simply do not understand."

"Understand!" I seethed, trying not to loose my temper. "She's _failed_ you, Mother! She's failed our _whole_ family! All she cares about is that vile, snake-like –"

"Enough," Mother commanded, and I fell silent immediately. "Your Aunt has done what she can for our family. Whether you see that or not is not of importance."

And that was the end of the conversation. I nearly apologized, but the thought that I'd have to excuse Bella made my tongue stiffen. Narcissa stared at me for a moment in what seemed like half displeausure before continuing.

"At the moment, your Aunt is the least of our problems, Draco. Perhaps you have not realized that the top floor of the house has been completely closed off since the Dark Lord's departure?" She questioned, lips pursed once more.

My heart thudded against my throat. "Does that mean...?"

"Your Father's things have been closed off in the study since his leave...the Dark Lord's things have found a home there as well."

"Well has he come back?" I seethed, rising from my chair in anger. Narcissa flinched. Disgust ran into my bloodstream and my eyes felt unfocused. The highest floor of the house contained many things, dark artifacts, family heirlooms, the Dark Lord's wing, and my Father's study. Of course, the Dark Lord never left anything behind. He trusted no one, but he didn't need to. The presence of his stay was all over the house, seeping into the rooms and creating a great depression.

Had he been through my Father's things? Did he even need to?

"The Dark Lord could have taken anything from up there! He could have access to anything he wanted! How do you know what he took?" I accused, staring down at my Mother from her place in the chair. She remained as tight lipped as ever.

Suddenly, she was out of her chair and making her way to the hallway. "Come along, Draco. I have to show you something."

VVVVV

"Draco?"

Rain was still pattering against the window as my eyes fluttered open. As a matter a fact, I didn't even know when I'd fallen asleep. One moment Mum had left the room, and the next moment I'd been waking up.

_"I'm not going to leave you,"_ He'd said. _"I'm never going to leave you."_

I sighed and turned over in the covers, exposing my arms to the frostiness of the room. Apparently I'd forgotten to turn on the heater. Although it felt as if I hadn't yet opened my eyes, I knew I was laying wide eyed in the dark room. When had night fallen?

I had dreamed again. Of Draco, no doubt. Perhaps it was because his scent still lingered on my pillows from the night before, but I knew better.

For once, I could only remember one piece of it, which had never happened before. It seemed no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I wracked my brain for the missing pieces, I couldn't remember. I needed to remember!

It was the only part of him I would have left until school started again.

Crawling out of bed, I retrieved "Whispers of the Night" from the bookshelf and settled on the plush rug on the floor, quickly waving my wand for a warming charm. I didn't miss the tear that fell on the opening page of the book.

VVVV

"Careful, Draco." Mother warned me as she slowly made her way up the stairs behind me and I raced for the last floor. "You musn't touch anything."

I nodded curtly before skipping the last wooden step. My shoe clacked against the parquet and echoed into the vast hall in front of me. As I'd realized earlier, it had begun to get unbearably cold as I made my way up...but now it was as if we were only missing snow.

Wand at the ready, I hesitantly stepped into the hallway. I hadn't been up here since...well, since so long that I actually couldn't remember. I caught the faintest inch of movement, and my wand hand jerked.

"Do you see it?" Mother whispered, inches behind me. I looked ahead and my jaw clenched.

Black, billowing smoke seemed to rise out of the end of the hallway, clinging to the walls and making them deteriorate. It seemed nearly cavern like in structure. The darkness hung in the air like a cloudy mist, unmoving. Merlin, you couldn't even see past the second row of doors –

That was where his room had been. It was cursed! But how did I know? Why did it look so familiar?

"The Dark Lord has cursed our house, Draco..." Narcissa paused, looking down as if she were ashamed. Immediately, I took a giant step toward –

"Draco, _no_!" My Mother shrilled, reaching forward and grabbing my shoulder with clenched, bright red fingers. "Do you not remember –"

"I've seen this before!" I snapped, trying to wrench myself away from her. Her grip was unwielding, and I was not about to point my wand at my own Mother. "In a dream!"

I had seen it, alright.

Only, Granger had been at the end of the hallway, and beyond that –

"This is a serious matter, Draco! Whether you have dreamt of it or not has no value in this situation –"

"Don't you understand?" I hissed, gritting my teeth. "I can help! If you'll just let me –"

"Absolutely not!" Mother exclaimed sternly, her nose inches away from mine. "I have already lost your father to these circumstances! Merlin help me if I am to lose you too!"

It was not often that I saw my Mother upset. But now, when there were tears welling up in her eyes, I had no choice but to obey her.

Struggling to breathe in my angered state, I removed myself from the hallway.

_Granger._

I needed Granger.

VVVVV

Although it seemed like ages, it had only been four days since Draco's departure.

Time certainly went slower when you were alone.

Or perhaps, faster. Bloody hell, I didn't even know.

Every morning, I performed the same routine.

Got up. Brushed my teeth. Breakfast. And then for practically the whole day, I would read _'Whispers of the Night'_. Besides what I was actually looking for, it was quite interesting. Certain topics, while not the ones I should've been focusing on, caught my attention, and I would sit for hours and read until the words began to mesh together.

Cooped up in my room, I hadn't had much time to discuss anything with Mum and Dad. Not that I actually wanted to, really.

Dad had tried to apologize...multiple times. And each time, I had shut him down even more harshly than before.

To make matters worse, the constant ache to talk to Harry and Ginny was an ever present aura around me. Ginny was understanding, and Harry was reasonable. Just the two things I needed! Too bad they were too busy being helplessly in love with each other to notice anything else...

Suddenly, a surge of envious fluid pumped through my veins and into my head, and my eyes watered almost violently. I wanted what they had...each other.

With who? Draco? _Merlin..._

The answer rang clearly in my head, and I clamped down on my bottom lip to keep a sob at bay.

VVVVV

Being back at the Manor made me realize how much I really fucking _hated_ being there.

Everyday, I forced my eyes to open and shuddered at the ceiling.

The first night back, I had entered my room and fallen onto the bed when my knees had given up under me. Being in this house gave me feelings that I preferred not to reminisce. Just a replay of all of the nights that I had stayed trapped in my quarters, waiting for my Father to go to bed or return from a raid...sent my mind into some type of fucking weird zone.

I missed her. As much as it pained me to admit it, I did. And it hurt like hell.

Everyday, the feeling in my stomach increased. Everyday, I missed her more.

I missed her curls, her lips, her quizzical glances...

Everything.

But my Mother needed me. My Mother, who had attempted to protect me from my Father each and every time, who managed to stay alone for so long and not let me see a single tear. And if here was where she needed me to be, then it was where I would stay.

Hermione had her family, her friends. I knew she didn't expect me to always be there for her...and I was glad that she didn't.

Perhaps it was because I had finally realized...I couldn't.

VVVVV

A knock on the door at exactly noon had managed to snap me out of my reverie. Mum and Dad were at work of course – and I couldn't contain the rush of adrenaline that rippled through my skin.

Racing down the stairs, I jumped the last few steps and nearly collided against the door. Without thinking to ask who it was, I yanked it open.

I didn't see a pair of shiny black dress shoes or black slacks. Instead, I saw bare, hot pink toes wrapped up in gladiator sandals in the middle of winter.

"Missed me?" Hannah smirked, before giggling, probably at the look on my face, and taking me into her arms.

"Hannah?" I mumbled, practically choking on her hair. She was cold as ice! As much as I wanted to be happy, a large spot of dissapointment chewed at my heart. "What are you doing here! I thought your family was on holiday?"

Hannah smiled and let herself in, sighing at the warmth. "Mum absolutely hated Edinburgh, so we came back a few days early. Dunno why, I quite liked it! You and I should take a trip there sometime," she said, removing her complicated looking shoes. Pardon my surprise, but Hannah had only been supposed to be back after Christmas! I needed time to collect myself...I couldn't just...everything wasn't perfectly fine.

"So, where's Draco?" Hannah asked, not seeing my face crumpling behind her. "He's still here, isn't he?" She paused. "Oh God, I wasn't interrupting something was I? I'll just...Hermione?"

Turning and seeing the look on my face, she faltered before going completely quiet. I couldn't hold it in, and before I could turn my face, a tear spattered against the wooden floor. Hannah's eyes softened, and her brows crushed together. Before I could speak, I was in her arms again. My eyes blurred, and I sobbed into her blouse.

VVVVV

"_Reducto!_" I whispered harshly, one hand pressed against the decimated wooden door. The wood was rotten and unweilding, and I could smell the acrid odor even through my Bubblehead Charm. The spell failed once more, and the only result were the tendrils of black smoke that were rising into the air and blending into the dark fog. It didn't help that I could barely see.

"Fuck!" I hissed as the hand pressed against the door burned. Yanking my hand away, I let out a loud stream of curses as I looked at the blackened, purplish tinged skin of my palm. It was the fifteenth spell I'd tried, and not one hex, charm, or countercurse had worked against the blasted door. The only things I'd gotten out of my time up here was a fucked up hand and a hellish amount of smoke. I felt like the biggest fucking fool on the planet. I could stand the Dark Lord's torture, but I couldn't open his sodding _door_? I gritted my teeth, grinding them into nothing.

Her voice seeped through my ears again, and I could've sworn I felt her touch my shoulder.

Standing up and brushing myself off, I removed the _Muffliato_ from the hallway and paused for a moment, before roaring and kicking the door, hard. Then, I trudged down the stairs for a scalding hot shower.

VVVVV

Hannah had slept over, and in the morning she'd confronted me about the...issue. And out of all times, she'd chosen breakfast to do it. After crying myself to sleep beside her last night, I wanted nothing more than to crawl under the table and dissapear underneath the ground. Now that she knew everything, I felt extremely vulnerable. Of course, she couldn't know about the magic, but letting her know about Draco and our weird relationship would have to be enough. It was all I could give her.

Wiping her dainty mouth with a napkin, Hannah sighed. "Hermione."

"Hm?" I muttered, not bothering to look up at her. I already knew she was giving me some type of look containing pity and concern.

"We've got to talk about it."

"No, we don't. There's nothing to talk about."

"Stop it!" Hannah said loudly, slamming her fork down. I flinched, looking at her in shock. "Just stop it, alright? Don't say it's nothing when it obviously means everything to you! You can't keep doing this, torturing yourself! You've been avoiding everyone, it's nearly been a bloody _week_. Your parents are worried about you, alright? That's why I –"

She faltered, and bit her lip. I could see the mistake written all over her face. I stood up from the table in disbeleif. "You...you _lied_ to me?"

"No! Your parents called me to ask if I could come over to check on you!"

"Why didn't you just tell me that, then?" I asked, perching my hands on my hips. "You didn't think I could handle it?"

"That's the problem, Hermione! Stop trying to be so strong all the time...you're going to make yourself go mad."

What did they want from me? I had to be strong! That was my only option, damn it! Harry struggled everyday trying to deal with Voldemort, Draco had issues of his own, Ginny was too in love with Harry to let him go, and Ron and I...I didn't even know anymore!

"What do you want, Hermione?" Hannah asked simply, gently.

It was the hardest question anyone had ever asked me.

"I'm not asking you to answer now. But you're going to have to face it sometime. The sooner the better." Hannah stood up from the table and grabbed her purse." Take your time, alright? If there's anything you need, let me know. I'll be back soon."

She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me for a minute. Without a word, she walked to the door and stepped out into the cold.

"Please think about what I've said." Hannah said softly, before shutting the door and disappearing from my view.

VVVVV

It was snowing.

Strange, I scoffed. It was so late into the winter that I hadn't even expected it to anymore.

"Hm." She'd said one day while we'd been taking a drive in the car. "When do you think it'll snow, Draco?"

And when I had shrugged and flipped the radio switch, her nose had scrunched in curiosity, making the freckles bunch up so they seemed like splotches –

I stepped outside without a coat on. It was early dawn, although I didn't bother to check the time. Mother's bedroom door was shut, but I knew she wasn't asleep. She barely ever slept anymore.

Blindingly white ice crushed beneath the soles of my shoes, and it was so quiet outside that the sound was magnified in my ears. Harsh wind bit at my cheeks, fluttered through my hair, and gouged into my eyes, but I didn't bother to use a warming charm. Instead, I just stood still and closed my eyes, so that everything blurred and turned into different shades of grey.

The numbness had returned.

VVVVV

_"What do you want, Hermione?"_

The words rang clearly in my head as if Hannah had just said them. Of course, reality was that it was two days later and Christmas Eve was tommorow.

Well, at least it had snowed.

I suppose you could say I was getting along fine with my parents again. I hadn't fully forgiven Dad for his actions against Draco, but in the spirit of Christmas, I didn't show my dissapointment. I only had so many days left to spend with my family, and I would choose to spend them accordingly.

I had been lounging on my bed reading _Whispers of The Night_ when something pecked at my window. In a blind hopefulness that I had failed in getting rid of, I practically dashed over and opened the frost covered window. Immediately, a tawny owl sailed in, fluttering specks of ice all over the floor.

"Bugger," I muttered, frowning. I set the floor right again with my wand before the ice could melt and then turned to the owl. It chirped in response, and pecked at my hand.

"Hello, you. What have you got for me?" I questioned, petting its soft feathers. Instantly, it stuck a foot out so I could retrieve the letter. Hands shaking, I reached for it. Was Draco trying to contact me again?

_Yeah, right._

VVVVV

"Fucking hell," I whispered, clutching at my face with a vengeful grip. Shuddering, I sat up in bed.

Another dream? That would be the third one that night alone!

Or morning, rather...

As I attempted to look outside my window, I sighed in frustration. The large rectangular windows were glistening with icy snow, making them shine like diamonds in the early morning. I looked up towards the grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

tick...tick..._fucking tick_.

Suddenly angered, I tore off the sheer green covers and marched into the bathroom. Every hair on my skin pricked up and pulled at the skin at the change of temperature.

What the hell was I thinking, sleeping shirtless in this weather?

Making my way to the bathroom and slamming the large doors behind me, I winced, not realizing how sensitive my senses would be after a night of imaginary torture...

But was it really that quite imaginairy? I coud feel the slight aches in my bones from the third _Crucio_ Voldemort had hit me with, and the static electricity seemed to bounce through the room.

_You're imagining it, you prat._

Pondering the thought, I shed my boxers and stepped into the scalding hot water I had prepared for my shower. The water was so hot I could feel it burning through my pores. Sighing, I thought of Granger and how she could've comforted me, but when I closed my eyes all I could see were two blood red reptilian eyes glaring at me.

What if this was all imaginary? What if it wasn't?

VVVVV

_"Perfect timing"_, I thought as I tossed the letter onto the desk.

"Just bloody_ perfect_!" I groaned sarcastically before face planting onto the mattress again. With nervous hands, I blindly retreived the note again.

_Hermione,_

_I hope the holiday is treating you well. What have you been up to? Anyway, it's been a while since we've talked, and I was wondering if you'd like to catch up sometime...say this week at Hogsmeade? We've still got a bit a break left, so why not catch up before school? Also, Seamus is taking Lavender on a date and I figured you two are friends so...to make things short...come on a date with me? Or if you say no, that's cool too haha. _

_Hope you're doing well, _

_Dean T._

Rereading it for about the fifth time, a strange mix of butterflies and puke swelled up in my stomach...or perhaps I couldn't tell the difference.

A double date with Seamus and Lavender?

I could imagine it now, Dean and I trailing awkwardly behind the two as Lavender attempted to suck Seamus's face off. As much as she was my friend, I had to admit that she was quite vivacious when it came to personal displays of affection.

I had seen it everyday in sixth year...

My stomach turned once more, and I burrowed my face into the pillows to keep from groaning. These boys were going to kill me! First Ron, then Draco, now Dean...

I glanced up at the phone before turning the now wrinkled letter in my hands. I wouldn't always be able to depend on Hannah, and I knew that it was best that I decide what was best for me.

Perhaps Dean would be good for me, I thought. Maybe he could distract me, and after all, I hadn't seen Lavender in a while...

Swallowing my pride, I stood up on shaky legs and retrieved a quill and some parchment from the desk. Behind me, the owl hooted in agreement. Dipping the quill into the inkpot, I quickly scribbled a response that would seem terse no matter how badly I tried.

_Yes._

VVVVV

As much as I didn't want to say it, Christmas proved to be pretty dismal. Of course, it had been naive of me to expect anything else from my sickly mother and a singular house elf for company. Nonetheless, I was glad to be able to look after my mother. To be honest, I didn't really know how much time I would have left with her.

A small pile of presents, the majority from Mother and a small few things from Blaise and Daphne, sat in the corner of my room, green wrapping paper littering the wooden floor. Although I had received such little gifts compared to the other years, it didn't matter.

A more disturbing fact was that I was sitting facing the window, waiting.

For what, I did not know.

Had I expected Granger to send something? For Merlin's sake, it didn't have to be a present, it could've been a small note with her writing and I would've been...

I wondered how Hermione was spending her Christmas. At this very moment, I imagined she would be sitting by the fire with her Mum and Dad squealing over presents from her friends and family members. Then, they would probably sing Christmas carols and do many other pointless activities like bake cookies and –"

I remembered the gingerbread I had made on my own. Hermione hadn't liked it, I could see it written all over her face even as she attempted to conceal it. The idea that it was so different from the others...

"Christ sake's, mate." I muttered to myself, standing up from the chair before I drove myself insane. "It's just a bloody _cookie_."

Mother would be asleep now, I noted, as I had started keeping track of her bed patterns so that I could work on the top floors of the house without her knowing. Perhaps a few good hexes and runes were what I needed this Christmas, I though sarcastically.

Grabbing my wand, I trudged into the living room and up the stairs, restraining myself from burning down the Christmas tree in pure annoyance as I passed it.

VVVVV

Before the winds had stopped rippling through me, I'd heard familiar voices mixed in with the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade.

"Hermione!"

"Oi, long time no see, Granger!"

Landing on my feet and pushing back the breathtaking nausea that came with Apparition, I looked up to see three gleeful faces staring down at me. Lavender, Seamus, and Dean were all smiling bundles of warmth in the frosty wind outside The Three Broomsticks. Immediately, Lavender pounced, nearly knocking me off of my feet again.

"Oh, Hermione! It's _so_ good to see you again!" She exclaimed, gripping me with a deathly hold.

"Oi, Lav let her go! You can't kill her before Dean gets to say hello!" Seamus chuckled, and although my vision was obstructed by Lavender's waves, I could feel him smirking.

"Hi, everyone." I smiled, trying not to seem too out of breath. Instantly, I went to greet Seamus first, purposely leaving Dean for last. Perhaps in those few short seconds I could control my heart from pounding into my throat.

I turned to Dean, not surprised to see his amber eyes appraising me warmly.

"It's nice to see you again!" I said cheerfully, trying my best not to stiffen as he hugged me.

"You look lovely," He grinned, and I smiled a smile that resembled a grimace more than anything. Internally, I willed myself to relax and have a good time.

_Hermione Granger, get a grip on yourself! You're the brightest witch of your age, dammit! Surely you can handle one date!_

"Alright, break it up you two," Seamus exclaimed, grabbing Lavender's hand. "I refuse to spend all day watching you guys make goo-goo eyes at each other!"

Dean scoffed as we all began to stroll through the square. "Like you two are so much better?"

Lavender giggled and kissed Seamus swiftly in response. "Don't worry Dean, Hermione isn't as uptight as she looks," she said playfully. I decided it was better to laugh nervously than attempt to choke Lavender in the middle of a public space for the comment, and as Dean inched closer to me, I fought not to groan.

_Let the games begin..._

VVVVV

To be honest, Madam Puddifoots Tea Shop was the most ridiculous place I'd ever been in, and by the looks on the boys faces, I could tell they thought so too.

We had been taking a quiet yet comfortable stroll around Hogsmeade when Lavender had started squealing uncontrollably about crumpets and assorted teas. Next thing I knew, I was being unceremoniously yanked into the sickeningly sweet store at Lavender's request that we all sit for tea.

The decor of the place was enough to make me vomit. The large space was absolutely plastered in different shades of red and green while magical miseltoe swallowed the ceiling. Not to mention that there were little elves dressed as Santa's helpers taking your orders and singing carols to couples upon request. Every which way I looked, I saw couples cuddling and snogging in their booths.

Halfway through some tea that tasted like Santa Claus had taken a holly jolly puke in my cup, I was reminded of Harry's date with Cho Chang. He had taken her here for Valentine's day, the poor sod, and the night had ended up in nothing but tears and confusion. Harry had luckily gotten the latter of that equation...

"So," Dean interjected, trying to initiate conversation between us when Seamus had started getting cozy with Lavender from across the table. "How has your break been? I'm sure you've been up to loads of things." He smiled, and I returned it.

_You have no idea_, I thought grimly.

"It's been lovely," I responded, averting my gaze as the couple beside us began to snog. I couldn't help but let out a surprised laugh. "How has the holiday been treating you?"

"It's been great!" Dean responded enthusiastically, and I gulped down more tea to stop myself from...well, I didn't even know anymore.

"I've gotten to spend alot of time with Muggle friends, you know? Spend time with my Mum and my cousins, that type of stuff. Nothing too special, but –"

Dean faltered as Lavender let out a soft moan from across the table. Both of our eyes shot to the two teens beside us, quickly looking away when we saw hands flying. I nearly snorted, and Dean laughed quietly before standing up and motioning to outside.

"It's probably best for everyone involved if we leave these two alone for now...shall we?"

Immediately, I nodded and quickly downed the rest of the tea before standing. I felt the warm sugary substance slide down my throat and restrained from wincing because Dean had payed for my cup.

"Definitely. Now let's go before the elves start singing."

VVVVV

As we quietly walked on, I realized I had forgotten how truly charming and handsome Dean actually was. His bronzy skin stood out against the stark white snow, and little flakes of ice were embedded in his dark curls. He also smiled alot, and was incredibly funny.

Maybe this date was going better than I thought.

We'd managed to talk about so many things in a short span of a few hours, like our families, school, our ideas for the future and more.

Dean shoved his hands into his black parka as we trudged through the snow. He smiled.

"Isn't your head cold?" I blurted out, not finding anything else to say. Dean tilted his head back with a booming laugh, and I turned nearly scarlet. I had never really been on an actual date before, so when things got quiet I didn't really know what to do. And he also wasn't wearing a hat.

"No, but thanks for asking. You cold?" Dean replied, still chuckling at the random question.

"No," I flustered, starting to play with my mittens. "Er, sorry...I've never really been on a date before. You probably think I'm really dull –"

"What?" Dean grinned, putting my stop to my blabbering. "But what about Krum and Ron?" He asked. "I'm sure there was something going on there."

Hearing Ron's name brought a weight that anchored in my chest, but I managed to push it away just enough to speak.

"Krum was more than a friend I suppose, but he was never really my _boyfriend_." I said quietly, feeling completely out of my element. I had never really told anyone this besides Draco.

_Draco..._

"And Ron...we're...we _were_ friends..."

I looked down, feeling a stinging in my eyes. I willed myself not to tear up, but as I looked up quickly at Dean, I suspected that he could see the glassiness in my eyes. He look concerned, and whether I wanted to say it or not, it was incredibly adorable.

"Oh. I suppose that's my fault then. After the ball and all...–"

"No, no! Please don't think that! We were drifting apart long before that ruddy ball even happened –"

Dean laughed slightly and I smiled. "I still had fun with you that night. Even if I did regret it after..."

Even though I regretted trying to make Ron jealous that night, I'd never regretted going to the ball with Dean. It was my fault that everything had gone awry anyhow.

"Well, same here." Dean smiled mischeviously. "Maybe next time we could try having fun without all of the drinking and drama."

I stopped walking, my boots pushing into the inches of snow. "Next time?" I wondered curiously.

Dean shrugged. "If you'd like. I mean, it's been great so far. I think I'd like to see you again..."

_Again?_

I giggled, feeling incredibly flustered. "Why would you want to go on another date with _me_? I'd probably run out of things to say anyway." I shrugged.

"I don't think that's true."Dean murmured with a half-smile. "Actually, I know it's not. I don't think you're dull at all...I think you're interesting, and intelligent, and... pretty..."

I turned so red that I could feel my skin burn. Ron had never really said anything like that to me, and Viktor had never really been particularly loquacious...for Merlin's sake, he had never even pronounced my _name_ correctly.

And now I realized, perhaps Draco was more damaged than I'd thought. Too damaged to fix...

"Hermione?" Dean said, quietly observing me. He was so close I could see the gold specks embedded in his irises. When I didn't object to his closeness, he shuffled in even more.

It was unavoidable. Dean was going to kiss me, and I wouldn't even be able to move. My heart rate increased and was pounding against my chest, and I could feel the vibrations even through the excessive layers of clothing. My eyes fluttered closed, and before I could take another breath, Dean's lips were on mine.

I stood there awkwardly for a moment, unable to move. Dean's hand snaked around my waist, and I responded hesitantly. He tasted like cinnamon and warmth.

_Dammit Hermione, move!_

"No," I yanked back, releasing the breath I'd been holding in. Dean's head moved away from mine.

"What?" He muttered, looking puzzled.

"No. I can't, I...I'm sorry." I breathed. I hadn't been able to force myself into kissing him. It felt _wrong_. There was...

"There's someone else." I muttered, feeling my conscience release its tight hold on my throat as I finally admitted it. After all this time.

_Damn you, Draco Malfoy._

Dean had started to speak, but I hadn't been able to hear him as I had started to Disapparate. His face swirled and his voice turned into a deep fuzz as the wind began to pick up.

Dean's bewildered expression was the last thing I saw before everything lifted up and vanished away.

VVVVV

Before I begin the usual rant I just want to say...I MISSED YOU GUYS! How is everyone! I know you all want to kill me for not updating in months, I'm sorry D: School really does get in the way of everything. I really hope that everyone has still stuck with this story, and I hope that you guys didn't think I'd abandoned GHTS! I would never, and I can assure you guys that I will finish this story no matter how long it takes to update. This chapter has been in the works for weeks, and I've been working on it every little chance I've gotten to, so I really hope you guys like it. On the brighter side, Hermione and Draco are FINALLY realizing that they want each other, dammit. Cheers lol! **Leave a review in honor of the occasion? It would make my whole day! Also, if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them if you leave them in a review. **Think we can get to 560 reviews? I also have 2 questions for you guys!

**What do you think is behind the door in Malfoy Manor? Do you think Draco will succeed in opening it, and how?**

**Where could Hermione have Apparated to?**

That's all for now guys! Love to all! x


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: Dramione exists. Period.

Ch. 45

_You can do this. _

That's what I told myself as I trudged through the slushy snow on my way to the platform. Ice covered the slidewalks, making them look like sleek planks of glass.

_Maybe he'll be happy to see you!_

_Why didn't you just go to him? Tell him –_

"Hermione?" Mum said, putting a hand lightly on my shoulder. "Are you alright? You look like you're about to be sick!"

"Fine." I grunted, trudging along. A few moments later, I turned on my heel and sighed. I didn't know when I would see my parents again, and I didn't want our last moment to be tense. I faked a smile and acknowledged them fully.

"I guess I'm just excited to see my friends, that's all." I grinned, taking my trunk from my Dad. Well at least that part was true. I hadn't had any contact with Harry and Ginny for the entirety of the break...then there had been that disastrous date with Dean...

I could've hurled just thinking about it.

Immediately, I looked around my shoulder for any sign of Dean, and now that I thought of it, Lavender and Seamus as well...

"Well, I suppose we should get you on the train then! There's only a few mintues left!"

"Agreed."

With a heavy heart, I turned and rolled my trunk onto the platform.

VVVVV

After saying our final goodbyes, I quickly darted into the train before Mother could burst into tears or something equally ridiculous.

Boarding the train felt extremely different this time. Perhaps it was because I had been thinking of the last time I had gotten off of it, and who had I been with.

Where was she? Why hadn't I heard anyone mention her name? She was part of the sodding "Golden Trio" after all...

Just the thought of running into her made my heart speed. What would she say? She would probably be upset, and either slap me or ignore me all together. Personally, I hoped for the first one. I would've rather had to deal with her stinging slaps than her stony silences.

Entering the Slytherin compartments, I nearly sighed at the familiarity. Girls were gossiping, guys were guffawing, and it seemed as if a party had already started in the largest compartment. Instead of joining in, I began to look for a secluded booth where I wouldn't be bothered. Of course, that didn't quite go as planned.

"Malfoy you dog, is that you!"

My stomach plumetted.

Blaise Zabini stood above me, his arm hanging relaxedly off of Daphne's waist. Both flashed perfect smiles at me.

"It_ is_ you. Merlin, one thought you'd died over the Holiday." Blaise smirked, before letting go of Daphne and scooting into the compartment booth. Daphne automatically followed.

"Blaise." I said lowly, before turning to look at Daphne's perfect face. Her lips rose into a dazzling smile. She looked so happy...

"Daphne," I nodded. "How are you?"

"Oh, very well actually," She grinned, before shooting a quick glance at Blaise.

I smirked, analyzing Blaise's facial expression. "Is there something you two would like to tell me?"

The awkward pause that took place next confirmed my assumptions, and I sat back lazily in my seat, waiting for Blaise to crack. He rarely looked nervous.

"Well...–"

"Oh come off it, he knows we're together!" Daphne exclaimed, grabbing his hand. He shot her a look before turning back to me.

"Happy, Malfoy?" Blaise said, smiling through his grumbling.

"Exceptionally. It's good to see you finally tied down, Zabini. Maybe Daphne will make you less of a prick." I mused. Blaise scowled before shaking his head. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Daphine smiled cheerfully, before smirking back at me. "And what about you, Draco? Anyone special in your life?"

Blaise snorted and I glared at him, hoping that it would cover the unnatural amount of turns that my stomach was doing.

"I terribly regret to inform you that there is no one of the sort," I drawled sarcastically. "Such a shame, I'm sure you were excited to plan out the wedding."

Becoming uncomfortable, I stood up to relieve myself from any other questions Daphne might've had.

"Bathroom." I muttered, before shutting the compartment door behind me.

VVVVV

The moment I'd boarded the train, I'd been greeted by a hush of whispers.

"Well, that's a good way to start off the term," I grumbled, before beginning to find an empty compartment. All I needed right now was some peace and quiet to think things over–

"_Hermione!_" Someone shrilled, and before I could look I was bombarded by a splash of fiery red hair.

"Ginny!" I choked on her hair, hugging her tightly. She released me with a grin.

"It's been ages! Why didn't you write me, or even floo?"

"Er...sorry, I suppose I was just too busy." I muttered silently, ignoring the beating that was pounding through my chest. "I did miss all of you incredibly," I stammered. Ginny didn't seem to notice. Behind her, Harry stood patiently for his turn to greet me, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Hermione!" He exclaimed with a grin, and opened his arms widely. Immediately, I dove into them and flung my arms around his neck. He swung me around once as Ginny looked on happily. "Merlin, where have you been?"

"I got all of your Christmas presents," I smiled, skipping the question and stepping out of Harry's hold. "Did you get mine as well?"

"Well of course we did!" Ginny said, dragging Harry and I into the nearest compartment. "After all, it's the only contact we've made since the end of the term. You should've seen Ron's face when he didn't get one, he nearly exploded." Ginny cackled vengefully. Sometimes it surprised me how humorous she found her brother's mishaps to be.

"He was in a right state, " Harry nodded, looking oddly bemused as he began to make himself comfortable in his seat. Ginny sat faithfully beside me. As strange as it was, the gesture touched me.

Of course, I wouldn't tell them that I'd still packed Ron's present into my trunk just in case.

"So how was your holiday?" Ginny asked, chatty as usual.

"It was fine, just hung out with old friends."

_And a new one._

"Any boys?" She smirked, and I choked on air. Harry swung his legs over the seat and muttered something about Seamus and Dean. He disappeared behind the door a moment later.

"Ginny, don't be ridiculous –"

"Oh come on! I can see it all over your face! Your eyes were going mad scanning the train when you got on, and–"

"Ginny! I was looking for my friends!" I spluttered, feeling my face flush. The apparent blush clouding my cheeks would be the end of me. Ginny laughed.

"If you won't admit it then fine, I will. Don't be daft Hermione, I heard _all_ about your little situation..."

My heart struck somewhere near the bottom of my ribcage and I gasped for air. How could she have known about Draco? No one was supposed to know! Intense paranoia set in as I wracked my brain for some way to explain myself.

"How do you know?"

"Lavender," Ginny shrugged. How the hell did _she_ know!

"Ginny, please don't! You don't understand, it wasn't really supposed to happen! I mean - he - I –"

"Oh, stop it! You know I don't care about my exes. If you think Dean is cute, then go for it!" Ginny laughed, flipping her flaming hair over her shoulder. "Honestly, I couldn't care less! Although, I will warn you that he's quite stubborn."

And with that, she began to study her nails.

Unable to comprehend, I sat there gawking with my mouth open for an endless amount of time. It wasn't until she looked up that I was able to speak.

"Er...right, then. I mean, Dean is quite..._attractive_," I said, trying to cover as many of my tracks as possible. And to think that if she hadn't interrupted me I would've told her about Draco...

"I'll think about it...Dean's..."

"A good kisser?" Ginny winked, and my face flushed.

VVVVV

_Where the hell is Granger?_ I thought to myself, leaning over the lavatory sink. I felt sick, but whether it was from the ricketing train tracks or my incessant heartbeat, I didn't know. It wasn't pleasing to see that I looked paler than usual, either.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly splashed some water against my cheeks and forehead. I let it linger on my face for a moment, watching the droplets slide off of my nose before wiping it all off with the back of my hand. I grimaced at myself in the mirror. What had happened to my suave and cocky Malfoy demeanor? I would've ordered a towel, or even used a hankerchief!

Damn Granger and her stupid normality.

As if that was any excuse for my nervousness. Since I'd separated from Blaise and Daphne, I'd searched the corridors about twelve times and hung about the entrance to the Gryffindor compartments like a prat. Still, I wracked my brain for explanations of my actions and found none. Although Hermione didn't make an appearance, I'd been blessed enough to see Weasley.

_Yes_, I grinned humorously. Weasley, whose usually vibrant hair looked limp and greasy just like the scowl on his face. Perhaps that harlot Sarah had finally dumped him. Or was it Sally?

Right then, not giving a flying fuck about Weasley felt better than it ever had. I knew it was because I truly had something against him now.

I'd seen him at his weakest.

I smirked. Served him right...didn't it?

VVVVV

"Welcome back, everyone! It is most splendid to see all of your shining faces again! I trust that we will have a most productive term!" Dumbledore's voice boomed through the Great Hall. It felt so good to be back again, not only because of my friends, but because I had truly missed my studies! By the looks of it, I was the only one terribly excited to return to my classes.

Quietly, I grabbed Harry and Ginny's hands and clutched them lightly. It brought me comfort just knowing that they were seated beside me. I had missed their support, and I had been too afraid to contact them over Holiday. After Draco's departure, I had spent so many days in solitude that I'd lost track of the hours.

As we waited for Dumbledore to finish his usual speech, I scanned the Great Hall for a strikingly pale blond head. There was no such thing in sight – and my heart sank. He had to be here...he wouldn't just not show up! Draco loved school almost as much as I did, I was sure of it, even if he never admitted it. But then again, I was never too sure of _anything_ with him...

"Now, if we could have the Head Boy and Girl come up and wish the students a happy feast and term, we shall commence with the banquet!" McGonagall crooned, shooting me out of my reverie. I felt Harry's hand clap my shoulder, and before I could register anything, I was out of my seat and walking towards the head of the Hall. Applause boomed in my head, along with a few childish whistles from friends, but I didn't look. I couldn't seem to rip my gaze away from the center, for fear that I would meet eyes with Draco across the hall, or even an even bigger fear than that – that he really hadn't come back at all.

A sharp tap on the back from Mcgonagall led me to the owl adorned podium. I had been about to take a shuddering breath when the soft clack of dress shoes and the warmth of a body introduced themselves. Out the corner of my eye, Draco looked oddly stoic, and of course, completely mind-bogglingly handsome. Two fingers wrapped around my wrist and my breath hitched. I hadn't expected to feel the surge of warmth overcome my body at his weak acknowledgement.

"Cat got your tongue? Speak, Granger." He said lowly.

"As Head Girl, it is my duty and my honor to...wish you all a lovely term. It is good to see the Great Hall filled once again." I said softly. I felt a twinge of pain in my chest and my breath vanished. "Have a wonderful feast," I finished shakily.

And then...I fainted.

VVVVV

I had seen her curls bouncing before she even turned her head.

Finally! My heart wanted to scream, but instead I opted for a cold uncaring glance in her direction. Dumbledore and McGonagall had called us to the front of the Hall to give the students our blessings – and she'd been the first one out of her seat.

Had she gotten prettier over the short amount of time we'd been separated? Impossible, she was practically stunning already. I would've taken a blow in the stomach for the thought, but unfortunately, there was no one present to administer it.

I was extra careful to take my time walking to the front, giving her plenty of time to reach there first. I had been hoping that she would just start the whole thing without me, say a few cheesy words then sit back down, but she looked too weirded out to do any of those things.

He face had a gray tinge to it, her cheekbones sticking out prominently under her skin. The usual glowy flush of her face was gone, and there were signs of exhaustion under her eyes.

_Merlin_, I thought strangely. _What had she done to herself while I'd been gone?_

As I stood next to her, I realized that she seemed too zoned out to even see me. Or perhaps she didn't want to, and I certainly couldn't blame her. I wanted to say something, to make her realize that I was there and that I felt like shit for leaving her. However, now was not the time nor place...

"Granger," I said curtly. It made me wince to refer to her that way. She didn't bother to respond, and it was a blow to my...ego? I didn't even know.

"Hermione." I muttered, too quiet for her to hear. It did, at least, make me feel loads better. She wasn't speaking, and she would have to soon before everyone noticed something was obviously wrong with her. Not wanting to place a hand on her for the whole school to see, I quickly slipped two fingers around her wrist.

"Cat got your tongue? Speak, Granger." I urged quietly, trying not to grin as a dull spark came to her eyes.

As refreshing as it was to hear her voice, I was just thankful she'd spoken in time. Hermione's voice sounded more constricted than usual, and the air of confidence that usually came with her words was nowhere to be found.

"Have a wonderful feast," She said. There was an odd pause, a shock in her eyes too small to see from anywhere else but my spot by the podium, and her eyes began to flutter close. Before concern could fully reach me, or any feeling really – she tilted backwards.

Immediately, I lunged, feeling the hard crack of her head hitting my chest. Hermione slumped in my arms, and the Great Hall roared with gasps and whispers.

VVVVV

"Miss Granger? Miss Granger –"

"Maybe we should give her more potion!"

"How on earth –"

"Quiet –"

"And then she just fainted, right into Malfoy's arms –!"

"I said quiet, _all_ of you!"

"Hermione?"

The sound of my name jolted me awake.

"Oh, _thank Merlin_, Miss Granger, are you alright?" Madam Pomfrey asked, peering over me with a bottle of rejuvenation potion in her chubby hand.

"What happened?" I croaked, trying to push myself out of the bed. Madam Pomfrey pushed me down instantly, yanking the blankets over my arms to prevent me from trying again. Why was I in the Hospital Wing?

"Hermione!" Harry, Ginny, Lavender, and Seamus said in unison. Instantly, I was stampeded by a chorus of "how do you feel's" and varieties of the sort.

"Thank Heavens," Madam Pomfrey huffed, pushing Harry and Ginny out of my sight before I could fully look at them. "Try to talk as little as possible alright? You hit your head pretty hard, we don't want to risk a concussion–"

"Doesn't surprise me." Seamus scoffed. "Malfoy's made of stone, he is –"

"Quiet!" Madam Pomfrey commanded, and everyone fell silent. Why on earth were they talking about Draco?

"Stay here while I fetch you more potion!" Madam Pomfrey said, bustling off before anyone could say anything. As if I could move, really. My neck felt fragmented and the back of my head and temples were throbbing with pain.

"What happened?" I asked silently, cautious so that Pomfrey wouldn't hear. "Why am I in here?" I turned to Harry with hopeful eyes that he could tell me something.

"Relax, Hermione. It's nothing serious, alright? You were just finishing your speech when you fainted. Luckily, Malfoy caught you before you could hit the ground –"

"For a prick he sure has quick reflexes!" Ginny sighed, coming over to the side of my bed. "Are you alright? Is there anything I can do?"

I smiled at her generosity, but I didn't know what she could possibly do to heal the strange twirling in my stomach or the unbearable pounding in my head.

"No, you guys have done enough just by coming to see me. I couldn't thank you all enough." I smiled.

"Alright, it's past visiting hours! I'm afraid you're all going to have to leave." Madam Pomfrey appeared again, holding a jug of strange, tan, sparkly liquid. Before I could say goodbye to my friends, she ushered them through the doors.

"See you later, get well!" Harry said, before the doors blocked him from my view. The energetic nurse was back at my side immediately.

"Drink this," she said, pushing a mug of the strange substance into my hands. "It'll help with the whiplash."

Whiplash? How hard had I fallen exactly? Instead of questioning it, I dutifully lifted the cup to my lips and took a small gulp. The taste was strange, just like the color. It's substance was grainy, kind of like liquified apple sauce with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Thankfully, it wasn't so bad, and I could also feel it tending to the sorest parts of my neck and head.

As I sat there taking little sips of potion in silence, long after Madam Pomfrey had disappeared into the back of the Wing, one of the large doors creeped open. A pale white hand held it open, and moments later, Draco's pale face and hair emerged. As he stepped into the room, I found it hard to swallow the remaining potion still in my mouth.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked seriously as he strode over to my bed. What the hell was he doing here? That was a better question. He hadn't bothered to find me on the trains, in the corridors, or anywhere except for the Great Hall when he'd been _obligated_ to stand beside me! Anger rolled through my body in waves at his audacity to show up now of all times, when I looked so vulnerable!

"What are you –!" I started out incredulously, but he placed a finger to my lips before I could finish. The soft pad of his index finger felt like velvet against my mouth.

"Shhh, not so loud," he commanded, before sitting down at my bedside on an empty stool. It took all of my energy, even though I was currently lacking it, not to yank his hand away. Instead, I lightly shoved it away so I could speak.

"Is it true, what everyone else is saying?" I asked quietly. Surely, he'd saved me from toppling to the floor, but I felt the strange need to make sure it wasn't a dream.

"Yes. Why wouldn't it be true? You scared me half to death when you fainted, I thought something worse had happened –"

For once in his life, Draco seemed to be rambling. It was so out of character for him that it shocked me how worried he actually seemed.

"Well, I'm alright now, thanks to you. Damn, I was supposed to be upset with you..." I blurted. Draco's eyes lowered to my blanket.

"You have every right to be. But...since I _did_ save you from possible death, I think it would be highly logical of you to forgive me."

I laughed at that, and his eyes flickered as he smirked. It shouldn't have been so easy for him to make me smile. _Damn you_, I thought. _Damn you to Hell._

"I hate you," I muttered tiredly, and an insignificant part of me could've actually meant it.

"Not surprised," Draco shrugged, "I'm a prat."

"And a prick," I added, rolling in the sheets to face him. I yawned, and I knew that something in the potion would start to put me to sleep against my will. "But somewhere in there," I pointed to his chest, "You have a good heart."

If I had called him those names any other day, he would've probably walked out on me. But tonight, I think I had won his sympathy. Draco took the hand that had splayed lazily against his chest and held it in his own.

"I'm sorry for leaving. I had to."

"I didn't want you to go."

"I know." Draco admitted. But he still gave no excuses to justify to himself. I could feel the previous anger simmering within me even through my drowsiness. It wouldn't be too long now until I knocked out completely.

"Why didn't you write me? Send me an owl or a patronus?" I rambled sleepily.

"We can talk about this later. When you're not nearly delusional." Draco said, standing up to leave. He placed my hand beside my pillow and straightened out his robes.

"Wait," I said.

Silently, I reached out to him with a limp hand. He stared at it quizzically but came closer as I'd asked him to. When he was close enough, I pulled him down by his tie and flung my arms around his neck. His arms kept his weight above me, but I really didn't care. Maybe I could've blamed the potion for my impulsive actions, but I knew it had nothing to do with that. Or maybe it did. Either way, all I could focus on was the smell of his cologne surrounding me like a pleasurable mist. At home, the scent had long gone from the guest room and my pillows, and I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since then. I burrowed my face into his collar for a long time before he began to loosen away from me. Draco hadn't said a word throughout the whole embrace. My arms loosened around him, but I didn't let him go. Not yet, anyway.

"You're not going to remember any of this in the morning," Draco said quietly. I didn't know what emotion clouded his voice and face this time, but there was something off about his personality as a whole. He was too..._calm_.

Wordlessly, he leaned down and placed a quick kiss on the tip of my nose. My insides shivered with delight and I couldn't help the smile that came to my face.

"I'll remember that," I sighed, exhausted.

"Right." Draco scoffed softly. "Granger, if I told you I was going to kill you within the next fifteen minutes, you wouldn't remember."

"What?" I asked confusedly. Maybe he was right after all. What did this potion contain exactly? Oh, sod it.

"Exactly." Draco said as he walked swiftly to the door. "Do me a favor and go to sleep already? Get well, Bookworm," He smirked. A moment later, the large doors shut behind him. I sighed and curled deeper into my covers.

"Tommorrow should be interesting," I murmured silently.

"Miss Granger, what are you still doing up! I demand that you sleep immediately!" Madam Pomfrey huffed. I only nodded and smiled at her, because without a doubt in my head, I knew she'd seen everything.

VVVVV

Draco was right, although I didn't realize it at first. The next morning, my head was about as clear as bog water.

"Oh, Miss Granger!" Madam Pomfrey's voice boomed somewhere to my right. I craned my neck to see her, but my pillows had bunched up overnight and blocked my view. "Finally awake I see?"

"Yes,"I managed, trying to clear my throat. That small motion alone felt like acid was being poured down my parched throat. At my uneasy visage, Madam Pomfrey fetched a pitcher of water and handed me a cup.

"Thanks," I said timidly, taking a small gulp. "What happened to me?"

Madam Pomfrey tittered before helping me out of bed. "Your friends were right, you must have hit your head quite hard!"

The comment seemed to strike something in my mind, but everything still seemed foggy. "You mean...I fainted?" I must have, I realized. The last thing I remembered was walking up to the head of the Hall...

"Oh darling, yes! One minute you were welcoming the students and the next you were falling to the ground! Luckily, Mr. Malfoy managed to swipe you up before you could really injure yourself."

"He what!" I choked, spluttering water everywhere. Instantly, I know exactly what happened the night before. I seem to remember everything then, and I know that I need to see him. It's urgent. One shift of my foot and Madam Pomfrey clicks her tongue.

"Don't you think about it, young lady! You know full well that you need your rest! I know you would like to go thank Mr. Malfoy, but know is not the time. Besides, he along with your classmates are fully involved in their classes at the moment."

Then, I realize that it is the first day back.

As if things couldn't get any worse.

"Madam Pomfrey please, I'll be missing my first day!" I plead, trying to keep calm. Somewhere within my still dry throat, the urge to cry emerges. There are so many things I need to be present for today! Who will keep the students from skipping class, or being late! Surely, I have instructed the Prefects well enough to do their jobs, but I can't help but feel the need to be needed. And how will Draco manage the entire student body alone?

These, besides seeing my friends, are my favorite parts of coming back to school. As nerdy as it seems, it honors me to look after the students, and I can't be anything but crestfallen at the moment.

"It would be futile to return, Mrs. Granger." Madam Pomfrey says, trying to sympathize with me. "It would be much more beneficial to your health to rest. The students have already started their last class of the day."

Sighing, I sink back into the pillows. I try not to move too much, as it hurts my head. I try my best not to curse the potion that Madam Pomfrey gave me into oblivion.

VVVVV

"So she just blacked out?" Blaise asked as he took a sip of pumpkin juice. It was dinnertime, and Granger was still nowhere to be seen.

"Well you were there, weren't you?" I hiss, trying not to sound too aggravated. In the back of my head, I felt as if Blaise was asking these questions to taunt me.

"And you think I was paying attention? I was too busy fiddling around with Daphne's skirt to even notice there was a welcoming announcement going on." Blaise shrugged casually. As distraught as I felt, I couldn't help but crack a smirk.

"Of course you were. How's that going, by the way?" Judging by the look on Blaise's face, I could tell I'd asked him about his relationship without scaring him away. Lately, I'd realized he'd become increasingly sensitive towards Daphne in every sense.

It was...weird, in the least, to see him that way. The idea that Blaise could even love this girl had trouble forming in my mind. Could Blaise even love after Tracy?

No, I thought. She'd shattered him beyond repair, I was sure. When they'd seperated, he'd done everything in his power to resist it. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep. By the end of a solid month he'd looked as ragged as I'd ever seen him. Of course, it had been my duty as his best mate to put him back together as well as I could. This was difficult, considering I'd never been particularly whole myself.

"Daphne? She's...well call me a sod but there really aren't any words to describe her. Proper ones, anyway."

I watched as Blaise's eyes filled with warmth. My theory from earlier tugged at my chest. Just to be sure, I decided to be the usual prat that I am.

"I think we both know I'm not talking about her personality." I smirked, watching him intently. He only laughed and glanced down at his food.

"Merlin Draco, is it even possible for you not to think about women sexually?" Blaise smirked back. I knew then that he would remain as tight lipped as possible. "Besides Granger, of course."

Immediately, heat rose into my chest and neck, which were luckily concealed by my robes. "That's disgusting." I muttered.

"Well you're usually more adamant about it." Blaise continued, looking incredibly pleased with himself. In the back of my head, a twinge of panic emerges. Had he seen something? Perhaps passed by the Hospital Wing while I'd been visiting her?

"Stop it." I said, trying not to seethe, or better yet, hit him in the jaw. Blaise smirks once more, before turning back to his food.

"Now we're even."

VVVVV

Entering the Gryffindor Common Room was like entering a battlefield. The moment I emerged from the portrait hole, a series of outbursts erupted. It didn't help my aching head in the slightest, but my heart soared at the amount of enthusiasm they all showed at my revival.

Ginny, who had been sitting on a couch with Harry in front of a fire, bolted towards me and landed in my arms.

"Thank Merlin!" She said ecstatically. "I was beginning to wonder how much longer Pomfrey would keep you!"

"I tried more than once to leave, she insisted that I rest." I half sighed, putting my hand to a particularly throbby area near the back of my head. Glancing out the window, I saw that night had already fallen.

"Alright there, Mione?" Harry said, taking me into his arms as well. It wasn't long before the majority of the Common Room was at my side as well, asking me all sorts of questions. However, I did notice that one person did not move from their spot.

Dean was sitting in an armchair in the corner, staring at me with slight bewilderment. I looked away instantly, remembering what I had done on our incredibly awkward date. How was I supposed to fix it now?

"I'm fine, everyone. I've only come in here to make sure you all keep the noise to a medium tone. You don't want to disrupt the ghosts." I said sternly, before crumpling my face into a look of pain. The back of my head gave a particularly nasty throb.

"I think I'll be going to bed now." I muttered to Harry and Ginny, trying to be as discreet as possible. I didn't want all of Gryffindor making a fuss over me. _Too late_, I thought wryly.

"You sure? Ginny and I can walk you back if you'd like." Harry said, putting a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. I waved it away.

"Nonsense, it's just down the corridor." I said back. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Without another word, I walked slowly out of the portrait hole and down the hall to my quarters. I'd only made it halfway to the door before he called my name.

"Granger."

Good Christ, just what I needed. I turned around on my heel, trying my best not to fall over or become dizzy.

"Yes, Malfoy?" I responded tiredly. He seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked, coming closer to me. A flash of concern crossed his stormy eyes before he could distract me from it with a quirk of his mouth.

"Like my head is about to split open. If the story I've been given is correct, word is you've got an incredibly hard chest." I muttered. He smirked, probably the reliving the sickening crack of my head slamming into his chest when he'd caught me.

"Well, it was either that or a stone floor." He said, smiling.

"I don't think that's very funny."

"Well, neither do I."

We stared at each other for a moment, neither of us wanting to fully acknowledge what had happened. In a way, it seemed awkward.

"Do you remember anything?" Draco asked curtly, casually stuffing his hands into his pockets. He looked so uncaring, but the fact the he was even here checking up on me made up for every unspoken word. I knew for a fact he had come here for that reason alone, because in all honesty, there was no other reason for him to be passing by the Gryffindor Commons.

"No." I lied, wanting to take it back as soon as I saw him glance down. Draco looked..._dissapointed_. There was really no other word to describe his expression. "Alot of people have been asking me that, but I can't bring myself to remember. Actually, they don't even know why I fainted..."

"Right." Draco drawled. "Well feel better then." He tried to make his way past me when I grabbed his arms. I felt the muscles tense under the fabric of his sleeve.

"Wait, please." I murmured. I didn't let go until he looked at me again. Now he just seemed annoyed. Damn him for being so moody.

"Wait for what?"

"Why are you acting like this Draco? I told you I was fine –"

"Acting like what, Hermione? I don't know how to act around you anymore! Ever since that night after dinner! How do you expect me to act, like everything is just fine? Why don't you just go find Thomas?" Draco snapped. He sneered down at me. Didn't he understand that I hadn't betrayed him? No doubt he'd heard about my date with Dean, the whole school had to have heard by now.

"What the hell are you talking about, Draco?" I had no idea why I was asking him that, and to prove my point it just seemed to enrage him more. What happened to trying to discuss this with clear consciences? Within minutes I knew we would be shouting at each other.

"Don't do this to me, Hermione! You know exactly what the hell I'm talking about! Going on a date with Dean Thomas just days after I leave you?"

"That's got nothing to do with you! You've got no reason to be upset. And to think I'd thought you'd come here to check up on me! All you've ever cared about is yourself!" I argued. Pain was now searing through the front of my forehead. I should've been quiet, walked away even, but if there was one thing I wouldn't let Draco do, it would be degrade me! I'd only even gone on that dumb date to distract myself from him. I'd done everything to show Dean that I cared for someone else, and even though the idea had just newly announced itself, it still mattered. Hell, I'd even almost apparated to Malfoy Manor after! It pained me that I could literally tell him none of this. If I did, I would surely end up in tears.

"It's got everything to do with me!" Draco exclaimed angrily. It nearly made me flinch. Godammit, my head was pounding now, and if this didn't end soon I'd be walking away in tears.

"Well if its got so damn much to do with you, you would've come to me first before hearing about it elsewhere! Don't you _dare_ try to play the victim!_ You_ left _me_!" Tears threatened to burst from my eyes now, and I held my head in my hands to keep from gasping in pain. Draco stayed silent, watching me for a few moments before enveloping me in his arms. He ran his fingers through my hair to soothe me, and nearly all of the pressure seemed to lift from my head as I sagged limply against his chest.

"I thought..." Draco started, but I just shook my head against his robes. In some alternate reality, perhaps one where I was confident enough with my motives, I would have leaned up and covered his lips with mine, and it probably would have been the gentlest kiss I've ever had. Instead, I didn't even have the will to look up at him.

Had Draco honestly thought it hadn't hurt me in the slightest when he'd left? If only he knew...

"I'm not going to leave you again." Draco said quietly, taking my head out of his robes. I supposed I looked quite pathetic.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." I retorted, even quieter. I didn't even know how long we'd been standing there, holding onto each other.

"I didn't." Draco quirked, raising a brow. He smirked as I scoffed and pushed him weakly away.

"Prat." I said, hiding my smile. I still hated him.

Draco only shrugged, and although I should've been offended, I knew his act exactly. It was all just one big facade...

Without another word, Draco walked me to the other side of the hall to my room.

"You look like a mess." Draco teased as I opened my door and slid behind it.

"Maybe that's because I've been in the Hospital Wing all day." I mused sarcastically, and Draco scowled.

"Just...stop being so vulnerable, alright? I'm not going to be there all the time to save you." He said arrogantly. _Hauty little prick_, I thought.

"Well thank you for your efforts, Lord Malfoy. If I should ever be in need of assistance, I'll just wail like a damsel in distress until your arrival." I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight, Malfoy. Try not to wake the portraits on your way back?"

Draco scoffed back. "Same to you. I wont be the one wailing the moment I step away from this door." He smirked. "See you later, Granger."

He'd been about to walk away before I caught his sleeve again. "Wait!"

Draco turned, eyes slitted. "Yes?"

Wordlessly, I leaned up and placed a small kiss on the tip of his nose. Then, I waited for him to realize the similarity of what I'd done. His face slacked, and his eyes widened. He obviously hadn't expected me to recall anything from the night before...

"I remembered." I said simply, before smirking and shutting the door quietly.

I didn't know what I was getting into. All I knew was that I wouldn't be able to go back.

VVVVV

Hello, lovely readers! I've missed you all, school is slowly eating me alive as usual. I have midterms next week and I've been working on this when I've had time, so I just wanted to post it before exams. Fortunately, I'll have a two week break after, which will hopefully means more updates! I know you guys are glad to see Draco and Hermione back together, but don't let the bit of fluff fool you...things are going to get alot more complicated! That's all I'll say for now! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I'll try to update as soon as possible. **Feel free to leave a review or constructive criticism! **The motivate me to update sooner. Love to all! X


	46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: Dramione exists. Period.

Ch. 46

Had the corridors always been this long? I thought to myself.

No, definitely not. Perhaps they just seemed endless because I'd been hopelessly wandering around them for the past hour thinking about Granger, the exact thing I was trying to avoid thinking about.

Merlin, she really managed to stick, didn't she?

I chuckled to myself as I passed the stairway that would take me to my quarters. Maybe later, then.

I'd never seen Hermione so...well, emotional I suppose? Ever since I'd left her during break, she'd managed to keep everything shut up like she usually did. What had made her act differently tonight? This whole debacle certainly wasn't over, and I knew that as soon as she got the chance to finally sit and have a good, straight talk with me that things would explode.

Maybe I deserved it. Hermione could ignore me, yell at me, do whatever she needed to do to make herself feel better, but that still wouldn't heal the immense amount of guilt I felt for making her this way.

It wasn't until I'd heard the fervent hooting of owls that I realized I'd led myself all the way to the Owl Post. Of course, I winced. Whenever things were really fucking with my head, I always ended up here. There was something in the atmosphere that calmed me down – in between the overbearing hooting and the pungent smell of feathers, of course. Automatically, I made my way to where my owl, Nox, perched sleepily on his post.

"Good to see you again," I mumured, running a hand over his sleek dark feathers. Instantly, his yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. I laughed quietly as he nipped at my fingers expectantly. He'd always done it, ever since I'd received as a thirteenth birthday present from Father.

_"He's a hybrid, son."_ I recalled Lucius stating proudly. _"All the way from Persia, one of a kind. Nothing but the best for my son."_

I scoffed darkly, fighting the urge to spit on the ground. There was so sense in getting worked up over something so trivial, something that had happened so long ago! It was just ironic how things had changed so shortly after that...

"What would you do, if you were in my position?" I asked Nox quietly, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness.

I received nothing but a mocking hoot in return.

VVVVV

"Hermione! Finally out and about?" Harry grinned as I joined the group at breakfast the next morning.

"Barely, but yes." I smiled back. "What have I missed?" I asked, actually urgent to hear about everything that had happened in classes yesterday. Unfortunately, no one really paid attention the first day back, except me.

"The usual," Ginny interrupted. "In Snape's class, he droned on for_ two hours_ about how important it was that we go about using the proper procedures before handling the new potions –"

"Trelawney babbled about her visions –" Lavender joined in.

"And Sinistra walked out in an angry rage because no one was listening," said Seamus.

Crestfallen, I turned to Neville in hope of some actually valuable information.

"Anything?" I pleaded. He shook his head sadly.

"I fainted in Herbology when Professor Sprout announced we'd be dealing with Mandrakes again." He shrugged.

This was when I'd noticed the new addition to our table. Luna sat dazedly beside Neville, lightly sipping from a goblet of pumpkin juice. If I didn't know any better, I'd say their fingers were linked. The smile that Neville gave her after our short discussion confirmed my suspicions. A small smile came to my face.

So they'd finally realized that they were mad about each other? It was about damn time. Ever since the Winter Ball, we'd all been secretly rooting for Luna and Neville to realize that they were made for each other. Luna was smart and wise in her own way, and Neville had a practicalness about him that evened out Luna's unpractical musings on Humdinging Dinger-Bingers or whatever else she was constantly talking about. I smirked._ "Just friends"_ my arse –

The sound of the large doors opening brought my eyes to the entrance of the Hall. Ginny groaned beside me.

Ron walked in looking particularly...exhausted. He had bags under his eyes and seemed relatively paler than usual, but that wasn't what caught my attention. What did exactly, was the fact that he didn't have that tiny figured, squeaky little gremlin attatched to his arm.

"What happened?" I whispered to Ginny, keeping my eyes glued to Ronald. He seemed to be making a beeline toward us...toward _me_.

"Sylvia dumped him over holiday break. He was a total mess after that, barely left his room, only to eat of course –"

"And you didn't tell me?" I seethed, looking at her incredulously. Ginny shrugged, her eyes wide.

"I didn't think you'd care! You made it clear you never liked her, and I saw no reason to bother you with the fact that my brother had gotten rightfully dumped!"

Of course I cared! I thought angrily. Damn it, that was always the problem! I cared too much! While Ginny hadn't told me out of the goodness of her heart, I still couldn't help but be irked by it. Nevertheless, I couldn't help how damn good it felt to see him...

_What, like this?_

Who was I kidding, it felt horrible. Through everything, I still cared for him, no matter how badly I wished I didn't. And even if he'd broken my heart, it didn't mean that it felt good seeing someone break his. Not to mention that Sylvia wasn't even worthy of him!

"See, this is exactly why I didn't tell you!" Ginny huffed. "Look at your face! You just can't stand to see Ron get even a little hurt, no matter how badly he steps all over your heart. I didn't want to tell you because I saw how much happier you'd been lately! I didn't want to ruin that!"

"Yes, well I–"

"Hermione?"

Whatever I had been about to say to Ginny vanished the moment I heard his voice. It'd been weeks since I'd even heard him say my name.

"Ron?" I looked up, dropping the toast in my hand. He smiled sadly at me before looking over to see Ginny, and even Harry, glaring at him. The silence that overcame the table was unbearable.

"Listen, er...can we talk?"

I looked up at him again, trying to decide what he was planning. When I saw nothing but shame in his clear blue eyes, I didn't have a choice.

"Sure."

VVVVV

Once Ron had led me out of the Hall to where it was quiet, he covered his face with his hands and sighed.

"Thank you for agreeing to this, 'Mione. I know I haven't been the best friend these past few weeks."

I humphed angrily in my throat. Damn right, he hadn't. He'd left Draco to pick up the pieces, and yet, here he was calling me 'Mione as if nothing had changed! And even worse, I couldn't help the warmth that spread from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes just from hearing him say so.

"You think so?" I spoke softly, staring at with him contempt. Godric, I was trying so hard to not get upset. Trying so hard not to look...disgusted?

"Of course! You have no idea how I feel about all of this –"

"Oh, I do," I spat back. "You're probably thinking about Sylvia running her tiny little hands all over you!"

Although I knew they'd broken up, I still couldn't help but feel justified in my actions. As childish as it sounded, he had chosen her over me...

Ron looked down, a blush spreading from the center of his face to rims of his ears. "I don't blame you for being mad at me. I'm a prat, and I deserve it. But Sylvia and I are over. For good."

"I see what this is. Now that you're finally free of her, you decide that now is a good time to apologize? After weeks!" My voice got louder, and suddenly, tears were flowing freely down my cheeks. I brushed them hurriedly away with my hands, but no matter how hard I tried, they were replaced within seconds.

"I knew you wouldn't want to talk to me!" Ron argued, brows creasing together. "And Sylvia has nothing to do with this! I came to you to apologize but all it looks like I'm doing is embarrassing myself!"

"Your _darling_ Sylvia has got everything to do with this! If you hadn't –"

"Fine, Hermione! Merlin, this was a mistake after all!"

"Weasley."

I'd been about to retort something vicious to Ronald when Draco's voice introduced itself clearly from the end of the hallway. I turned to see him striding towards us, the anger evident in his eyes, like two burning orbs of graphite. Ron grimaced.

"Look, Ferret –"

"No, you look, Weasel. Clearly everyone can see and hear that Granger is in no mood for your company. Didn't your Mother ever teach you to give a woman her space?"

"Draco," I warned softly, standing in the small gap that separated Ron from him. As much as I appreciated what he was doing, I absolutely despised when he insulted Ron's family. They had nothing to do with this. "Just drop it, okay?"

Glancing down at me, I saw his eyes soften subtly, but the hardness was still there, boring into me. With a curling smirk, he scoffed slightly at me. "No, I won't."

"You heard what she said, you fucking Pureblooded bigot." Ron muttered darkly, and I winced as Draco chuckled, glaring at Ron with an air of superiority.

"Clearly you're in charge of your temper. Try saying something like that to me again, and I assure you, you'll regret it."

It was as if I was invisible! Ron and Draco were head to head now, and I was practically suffocating between them.

"Stop it, please! Both of you!" I urged, before something bad could happen. The hostility between Harry and Draco was so much different...with Ron, it seemed almost deadly. Both of their personalities were too strong, and I knew that neither of them would backdown unless someone put a stop to it. Ron's face turned fierce with anger. Through it, he smiled.

"What, been learning new tricks at your little Death Eater meetups? Stay out of this, you fucking –"

Before Ron could finish, he had his hand to his throat and was toppling to the floor. He fell to the ground in a heap of groaning pain.

"Ron!" I screamed out, leaning down to help him. I looked up at Draco to see if he would too, but he only stood above relaxedly, a perfect smirk plastered on his face. He stared in dark satisfaction. "Make it stop!" I commanded him, and before I could look back at Ron, I knew he was okay again.

"Oh, God! Merlin, what did you do!" I shrilled at Draco. I went to help Ron up, but he only pushed me away and stood up roughly on his feet. I could tell from the way that he was holding his abdomen that that was where Draco had intended the pain to settle the most. I looked at both of them now, regarding one with anger and shock and the other with concern and guilt.

Ron looked Draco over darkly, before turning to me. "You're wrong. He hasn't changed. Not one fucking bit." With that, he spit at the ground near Draco's shoes and trudged off. Draco looked sickly triumphant.

"You're damn wrong about that one!" He called after Ron. "Let me know if you need me to show you some more 'tricks'!"

At that comment, my hand seemed to move upon its own accord. It clashed against Draco's pale cheek, and the sound of a hard, sharp slap reverberated off the walls. Memories from Third Year came swirling back, when I'd punched him in the face, and suddenly I was facing the same crude Malfoy that I had not seen in such a long time. I'd been a fool to think he'd disappeared completely.

Recieving the full blow of my slap, Draco eyes widened in surprise before hardening angrily again into two narrow pools of volcanic rock. "What the –"

"How could you!" I spluttered, unable to breathe properly. Whether it was the situation as a whole or what Draco had done especially, I didn't know what was worse.

"I was doing you a favor!" Draco shouted. "Why would you ever slap me? He was the one being an idiot fuck!"

"You're all nothing but trouble!" I wailed, cradling my face in my hands for a moment. "I try to fix things, and for once he comes to me after _weeks_, and then out of nowhere you're there to ruin it!"

"Ruin what, exactly?" Draco hissed, rubbing his now red cheek. The imprint of my hand laid firmly against his skin like a postage stamp. "The atrocity that was your friendship? I'm sorry, but that's one of the few things you can't pin on me."

My heart burned with pain at his comment. This happened everytime he got irritated. He was content with hurting everyone else.

I stared at him with disgust. "You know, maybe Ron is right in a way. You didn't change as much as I thought you did. Hurting me and my friends is still a form of entertainment to you."

Draco scoffed for a moment. Then, he stared at me, his eyes burning a path into mine. A moment later, I was being pressed up against the wall. Draco's face was so close to mine that I could feel his cool breath ghosting over my upper lip. Our noses were centimeters apart, perhaps less. One nudge of the head, and our lips would be touching.

That's what I wanted, subconsciously. Consciously, even. I knew it. But why now, of all times? His arms cradled the wall on both sides of my head so that there was no chance of escaping, even though I hadn't even planned to move.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me I haven't changed." Draco murmured, his voice soft but strangely threatening. "I don't want to hear that come from your mouth ever again. You need proof? Then ask me for it. Don't you dare call me a fucking liar. I have changed. If you'd given me a slap like that last year I would have you begging for mercy." By now, our lips brushed lightly at every other word he said. The feeling was electrifying. My eyes began to close."Actually, your hand would have never even reached my face. _You_ took my guard down. Now take responsibility for it."

There was a long pause, and I was foolish enough to believe he was going to kiss me. We stood there for a few moments, before the clock struck once, marking the beginning of our day. Within seconds, students would be piling out of The Great Hall and into the corridor. Draco dissappeared with a smirk before the large doors could open, leaving me against the wall, eyes half lidded and brain fuzzed.

Stomach throbbing, I managed to peel myself from the wall. As I pushed through the students, I studied the way my body was reacting. I'd never felt so...electrified yet dazed at the same time. Something strongly related to want started in my chest and made its way down through my legs. The small hairs on my arms and back of my neck stood pin straight.

So much had happened in such a short amount of time. And all before Astronomy, for Merlin's sake.

VVVVV

What had I done?

The look on her face when I'd grabbed her like that...I'd never done anything like that to her...or to anyone for that matter. It was like I wasn't in charge of my own body!

"Everyone listen up!" Pucey demanded, bringing his broom up beside him with a wave of his hand. "Our game against Gryffindor is a little less than a week away, and we're going to win. I don't care what it takes, or who I have to work a little harder for that to happen, understand?"

Blaise grumbled beside me, putting on his shin pads for practice. "He's already killing us! These are the days where I really wish you'd have accepted the bloody offer to be Captain." He mumbled to me through gritted teeth. I prayed that Pucey didn't hear, Blaise didn't respect him enough to care, and Pucey hated me enough to make me do twice the work than that of the entire team if he suspected anything.

"Now that I see you guys have got the picture, what the hell are you all waiting for? Get the hell out there!" Pucey ordered, leaving the tent and disappearing into the frosty mist outside.

"Prick!" Blaise shouted, earning laughs from everyone besides me. Without a word, I was the first to leave the tent and get into the air. The coldness hit my face like the pricking of a thousand needles, but still, I soared higher. I wasn't even looking for the snitch, I wasn't focused enough. I just couldn't get the expression in Hermione's eyes out of my memory. She looked so intimidated...disgusted.

The snitch soared past my ear, but I didn't budge. The whistle rang from down below, and I knew that Pucey would be ready to insult me the moment my feet touched the ground. So, I'd let him, because it's not like I'd planned on listening.

_"Just what the **fuck** do you think you're doing? Malfoy, if you don't catch that snitch within the next seven minutes..."_

I could picture it already. That's why I wasn't surprised when he'd already started yelling. Brilliant.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy!" Pucey roared after me as I touched down and began to walk away, broom over my shoulder.

"Getting some fresh air," I muttered, feeling sick and claustrophobic.

"You're already outside!" Crabbe yelled stupidly. I smiled grimly. How wrong he was.

I was in my own little world.

VVVVV

_'Thinking about it is just making it worse_,' I told myself.

It was like wherever I looked, he was there! Not physically, of course, but sometimes it felt like I could really just _feel_ his presence –

_'That's enough, Hermione,'_ I scolded myself. Really.

But what had happened today in the hallway? Why had everything just started to crack so suddenly?

I moaned into my hand tiredly. I couldn't even have two of my best friends in the same room without the risk of them ripping each others throats out. I cared too much. That was _always_ the problem!

Wasn't it?

Draco swam into my thoughts whether I wanted him there or not! There I went, thinking about it again. Thinking about the way his lips had barely brushed mine as we stood practically glued to the wall. The knot that had been rolling around in my stomach tightened again, bringing warmth all the way to my toes. Instantly, I knew the feeling…

Because I'd had them for only one other person in my life.

Ron.

VVVVV

It was better this way, I told myself. Life was so much better when you couldn't care less what could happen to you or what other people thought of you. Oh, who was I kidding. Walking out of practice alone would earn me a night of polishing brooms and relocating them to various broom closets, and just because Pucey hated me, I'd be smart to expect my punishment to be_ much_ worse.

"Oi!" Blaise called after me, his shin guards clacking horrendously as he jogged after me.

"For fuck's sake!" I groaned, yelling up at the ceiling. I couldn't be left alone to my thoughts for two seconds before someone came butting in...but perhaps that was best. Hell, I knew it was.

"Christ Draco, what the hell is the matter with you? You've been off your rocker today!" Blaise huffed, looking at me like I was the stupidest person he'd ever met. "You do something like this again and Pucey won't hesitate you kick you off the team!"

"Then let him," I said carelessly , turning away. Blaise grabbed my arm roughly, but before I could retort, he continued.

"Don't be thick, alright? Now I know you've got yourself all warped up over Granger, but –"

My eyes narrowed and I cut in sharply. "What the hell did you just say to me?"

Blaise smirked. "Draco. Mate. Seriously?"

I yanked my arm away. "Seriously what?"

"I saw you two." Blaise shrugged, and I paled.

Did he know what the hell he was saying? What had he seen? He couldn't have...he'd been at breakfast! Hadn't he?

Blaise waited for me to viciously prove him wrong, or maybe even hit him, but when I didn't respond, he sighed.

"You're not going to make me tell the whole story, are you?"

No response.

"Fine. So Granger and her little Weasel friend left breakfast together this morning. He looked like he'd been about to shit his pants while she just seemed irritated with him, but being Granger I guess she obliged to speak with him? But not too long after Weasley came barging back in as red as a baboon's bum without her and so I figured..."

"Figured what, exactly?" I hissed.

"That you had something to do with it, I suppose. I had only been innocently walking out to use the loo when I saw you two. Pardon my gall, Draco, but you too seemed awfully...close. "Blaise finished the story looking awfully smug with himself. His eyebrows raised connivingly along with his smirk, and without warning, my fist soared to his face.

Blaise blocked my blow with his arm guard, and pain burst through my fist like a handful of those Weasley Twins' firecrackers.

"Knew you'd try that," He drawled nonchalantly. "Cut the bullshit, Draco. I've known for weeks."

_Goddamnit._

"Known what?" I gritted as I nearly doubled over from the pain pulsating through my knuckles. "There's nothing going on between us. I would never –"

Blaise sniggered. "You'd never what, kiss a Mudblood? I think it's a little too late for that one, don't you?"

At that comment, my brain went into frenzy of trying to calculate how much he'd seen and how much Blaise knew exactly. I hadn't even kissed Hermione this morning! Although, I'd gotten awfully close, and from certain angles one could be fooled.

"Don't call her that." I growled, regaining the feeling in my hand. Blaise just shrugged, and I knew he'd done it to get me riled up.

"We'll talk about this after dinner, unless you'd like to keep carrying on this little charade...since I came after you, it looks like I'll be joining you for some late-night broom polishing." Blaise grinned before leaving me in the middle of the hall.

"Sounds like a date," I grumbled sarcastically after him.

VVVVV

Later that night, Blaise and I decided that skipping dinner would help us polish these damned brooms faster. What a mistake that had been. As Blaise kept pestering me, the grumpier and hungrier I became.

"Look, stop trying to drag this out, will you? You wanted to ask me questions that I clearly don't need to answer –"

"Oh but you do," Blaise chuckled, polishing what seemed like the thousandth broom in the large tented space. I'd lost count long ago. Now it was just a routine : _grab, set, polish, replace..._

"And what makes you think I'm going to answer any of your questions?" I asked Blaise calmly, trying my best to focus on the task at hand. The more I focused the less Blaise would be able to see right through me.

"Well, for one, I know whatever you're feeling is eating you up inside." Blaise smirked. _Git._

"How can that be when I'm not feeling anything remotely disturbing?" I retorted. _Liar._

Blaise stared at me in disbelief for a few moments before throwing down the broomhandle he'd been sanding down.

"Unbelievable!" He scoffed. "What happened to you, mate? Why are you suddenly so concious of what you think around me? Maybe you haven't realized, but I'm your best mate and if you've forgotten I'd say I'm pretty damn familiar with what you're feeling!"

How? Had he felt the indescribable feeling of having his stomach turn in on itself just from looking at a person? I must have asked that question out loud, because seconds later Blaise sighed and responded: "Tracey Davis."

I shook my head immediately. Blaise...well, he'd loved Tracey! Whether he'd actually said it or ot didn't matter, but he had! As for me, I wasn't even sure if I was entirely in..."like" with Granger!

"There's no way you can compare the two!"

"You bet your arse I'll compare them, Draco!" Blaise said, dusting off his trousers and standing. A second later, he'd yanked the tin of broom polish out of my hand.

"Blaise, what –"

"I'm going to ask you one question and I'm only going to ask once," Blaise said sternly, his dark eyes narrowing. "And don't try to lie, I'll know it. If your answer is what I think it'll be, then I can help you. If not, then we'll just pretend we never had this bloody conversation, alright?"

Pretend we never had this conversation? Merlin, did _that_ sound tempting. This whole ordeal was beginning to eat at my pride, and I hated Blaise for it.

"Well go on then, ask the damn question." I growled. Blaise chuckled and I gave him a death stare.

"Are you unsure of your feelings for Granger?"

_That was it? That was the damn question?_

"Pretty unsure of everything at the moment," I grumbled sarcastically. Blaise grinned.

"Get off your arse, Malfoy. I have a plan."

VVVVV

Ginny joined me at the library after dinner, slamming her books down hurriedly. Her hair framed her face like a bright red ring of fire. "Ron's furious again. What happened this time?"

"Take a bloody guess," I said tiredly.

Ginny's brows quirked up immediately, and it was obvious that she had no intentions on being subtle on the whole matter. "You're not going to let all of this bother you, right? Time and time again, I've told you -"

"He's a prick, I know," I sighed. "But...it's not that easy, Ginny."

"You're telling me!" Ginny scoffed loudly, bursting into a fit of loud giggles. "You try living your childhood in the same household as him and then you can complain!"

Madam Pince appeared from behind a bookshelf and began shushing us aggravatedly. It only made Ginny laugh harder, and I was forced to clamp a hand over her small mouth.

"Stay quiet," I whispered. "Do you want to get us kicked out?"

"Now why would she want to do something like that?" A deep voice drawled behind me. From the look on Ginny's face, I knew this wouldn't be good.

I turned to see Blaise Zabini running a finger across the back of my chair, casually frowning at the dust that had collected on the tip of his finger. "Granger, Red." He acknowledged us. I would've responded if I hadn't to looked his left. Draco stood beside him looking utterly distracted. As usual, an unknown hand was suddenly lunging itself down my throat and making its way to strangle my heart.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ginny appraised him. She didn't even look at Draco, who for once in his life was beginning to look...uncomfortable?

No, that wasn't a powerful enough word to describe his expression.

Ignoring her question, Blaise smirked. "Mind if I talk to you for a minute, Ginger?"

"Anything you need to say to me can be said in front of Hermione." Ginny replied skeptically.

Blaise chuckled, before grabbing Ginny's arm and yanking her out of her seat. "Don't be too sure of that", he managed to say over Ginny's objections. Nontheless, she followed him away from the table and vanished into an alcove behind some bookshelves, bickering the whole way.

"Handle it," Blaise muttered to Draco, before disappearing completely.

Handle what, exactly?

VVVVV

It seemed that I had to will my feet to move towards Hermione. Suprisingly, I'd even managed to sit at table. Unsurprisingly, her eyes hadn't left her parchment, and her hand scribbled so violently I could nearly hear the paper wailing.

Christ, I'd never been so nervous around her in my _life_.

"Granger," I said, trying my best to make it a statement and not a question. I would _not_ be made to look like a pansy All I had to do was stick to the plan. Talk calmly, and things would be fine. When I didn't get an answer, I rolled my eyes and tried again. And again...and again. I knew not to try and touch her, when she was angry she lashed out randomly, and I didn't quite trust her with a sharp quill at hand. How many times would I have to say this wretched witch's name before getting an answer?

"Hermione." I said softly, scooting my chair closer to the table. Her eyes flashed upwards for a moment, before darting back to the page. "I know you can hear me."

"Obviously, Draco, don't be silly." She hissed, writing faster. Small veins were starting to appear in her hands. I cleared my throat and scoffed, laughing softly.

"Well, at least you're not calling me Malfoy."

Hermione slammed her quill down, nearly knocking over the inkpot. I didn't jump, but I couldn't help but look slightly surprised at her fiery behavior. But what else had I expected after treating her the way I had?

"Granger, I've been thinking..."

"Well, I don't give a damn. If you're here to crack jokes feel free to leave." She spat harshly.

"Dammit Granger, I'm trying to apologize to you!" I gritted, beginning to lose my temper. "How dare you–"

"Oh, not this again!" She wailed angrily. "How dare I what? What is it going to be this time? Another sob story about how I was wrong about you? Have I insulted your pride again, or something? What are you going to do next, kiss me, like you nearly did this morning? Why is everything always so damn complicated with you?"

I was positively seething now. How dare Hermione think she could bring that up! Damn her to hell! It was too bad really, there was nothing more I wanted at that moment than kiss her, I realized.

"You're barking! If you actually believe I would ever even - in my right mind - kiss you, then you're alot crazier than I thought!"

"Well last time I checked, it takes two people to snog!"

"Miss Granger how many times have I asked you and your friends to quiet down, and you too, Mr. Malfoy! I want the both of you out of this library this instant!" Madam Pince appeared, waving her hands angrily.

"Damn it all to hell," I groaned, grabbing my things before gaining the nerve to hex the vile woman.

"And don't let me catch you using such foul words on this campus again, Mr. Malfoy!" Pince said sternly.

"Well I hope you're happy," Hermione scowled.

"Ecstatic!" I spat sarcastically, before slamming the library doors closed behind us.

VVVVV

"Oi, watch it Red!" I growled harshly as the youngest Weasley stomped on my foot again.

"Oh, will you stop calling me that!" Ginny hissed back.

"Change your hair colour and then maybe I'll give it some consideration..." I sniggered, smirking as her cheeks reddened with anger. Her freckles looked like little spots of fire on her face. Even angry, I could see how she had attracted the Boy Wonder. She did have some sort of strange appeal...and she was pretty, nothing like Daphne of course, like she could ever be that breathtaking...still, I would never admit any of this. Not even in my grave.

"Well, change your attitude and I'll consider not trying to hex you." She huffed venemously. "Speaking of hexing, give me any reason why I shouldn't Bat-Bogey Hex you for rudely grabbing me away from what was supposed to be a quiet talk with a friend?"

"Now, now, Gingey – er, _Ginny_ –"

"Would you just tell me what's going on?"

"Fine!" I sighed, pulling back a few books so that we could see through a small space in the shelf. I gestured for her to move to see the space, but she stared back at me expectantly.

"Here's the deal. I need you to trust me on this, alright?" I started, observing her facial expression as a way to determine whether I should keep speaking. So far, it seemed like she would listen.

"It's Draco...he sort of...well –"

Ginny smirked and one fiery brow rose higher than it's counterpart. "So I'm not the only one who's noticed? Finally!" She exclaimed exasperatedly, banging on a book with her fist. I caught it before it could cause any more racket. My eyes narrowed. Something seemed off...like the ginger knew a bit too much...much more than I'd expected.

"Hermione, too."

"What do you mean?" I demanded, whispering hurriedly.

"You're not the only observant best friend on the planet." Ginny shrugged, smiling slightly. I didn't know why she was doing it, but it made me feel...sort of demeaning. After all, I'd come here expecting to take charge of the situation. When I said nothing, Ginny snorted.

"The Muggleborn and the Pureblood...who would've thought," she said sarcastically, peering through the bookshelves. The spot was slightly above her head, so the short girl leaned on her tiptoes. Silently, I grabbed a few books and piled them at her feet. Ginny nodded her thanks and stepped on.

"I find it rather cliche, actually." I grumbled. Ginny looked at me suspiciously.

"Then why are you trying to help? I'm telling you right now if you even _try_ to hurt Hermione's feelings, I will -"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Suddenly there was a loud, single banging noise and Ginny and I immediately glued our heads together to peer into the crevice. Hermione looked absolutely livid, gripping her quill as if she were about to stab Draco. Her mouth moved fast, but we were too far to hear. Well, we didn't need to hear anything to know that they were arguing. To make matters worse, Madam Pince emerged from behind them, positively fuming.

Ginny swore loudly as we watched them gather their things and trudge out of the library, still arguing viciously. Merlin, they had more issues than I'd thought. Ginny looked up at me again, this time concerned.

"This is going to be alot harder than we thought. They're probably the two most stubborn people on the planet...besides my brother of course. We should we go after them?"

I sniggered. "Definitely not. I'd rather try to catch the Giant Squid. That would be easier and less painful."

VVVVV

Somehow, we'd ended up by the lake.

We were still arguing, but now only the viciousness remained on the top layer of voices. There was no loud yelling now– it was far too late, and to be honest...we were both just tired of yelling over one another. It seemed we were finally getting our time to talk everything out. Draco was still trying to open up to me, and because I knew it was difficult for him, I would wait as long as he needed me to. Every hour would kill me, but I would do it for him.

"You should know that whatever horrible things I've been saying to you since we've come back to school is utter bullshit. It's all been some kind of sick act I've been using to hide my feelings from you." Draco shrugged as we strolled along. I smiled up at him. The moonlight made his pale skin and hair glow and I was reminded almost humorously of an angel.

"Sorry for being the biggest prat on the planet, more than usual anyway." Draco said. Something seemed off about him, but I attributed it to the fact that he'd just told me so many personal things.

"Why do you think I lashed out at you earlier? We're more alike than you think. But I can't say that I don't appreciate the apology."

Draco winced. "Yeah, think we could keep the lashing out to a minimum? You're quite scary when you get like that."

I laughed, getting him to smile a little. "I guess I owe you an apology for that."

We walked on in silence before Draco turned abruptly. I looked at him confusedly. "What's wrong? It's getting late, maybe we should turn back. We've been out here for hours –"

"No," He cut me off instantly. Draco tensed his jaw before exhaling. Why was he acting so strangely?

"Hermione." He said softly.

"Draco." I replied, trying not to laugh at his strange behavior. "What's the matter?"

"I need you to tell me something. I need you to tell me...how you felt when I left." Draco demanded gently. My heart plummeted.

"Why?"

"Because I need the truth and I can't wait for it any longer."

"Yes, but I don't understand _why_ –"

"Please, Hermione!" He said as his eyes searched mine. There was a hint of franticisim in his voice and eyes. Draco's cold hands cradled my face gently. He seemed to be in some sort of pain.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, covering his hands with my own. He nodded.

"Just tell me everything."

Merlin, I thought. Did he honestly want this? And why so all of the sudden? I couldn't look at him as I inhaled and began.

"Well...when you left I felt...upset. No, no, more than that. I felt depressed and like it was my fault...like I'd scared you away or something. I don't know really, I guess I got a little teary-eyed saying goodbye to you–"

"You're lying," Draco said calmly, bringing himself closer to me. By this point, any willpower I had left was teetering on the edge of a mountain's ledge.

"Alright, fine, I cried. I cried for days, if you must know." I sighed, trying to look away. Draco didn't let me, tightening his grip on my cheeks.

"Why?"

"Because I...I needed you. And I thought I'd ruined everything." I exhaled quietly. Oh Merlin, I couldn't cry now! "Look, can we stop this now before –"

"Keep going."

"Draco, _honestly_ –"

"I said continue!"

I groaned. There really was no way to avoid this. It was what I'd wanted in the first place? An opportunity to talk things out with Draco...but I didn't want to be forced...even if I knew I probably had to be.

"It hurt to even walk past the guest room after you'd left. I hoped everyday you'd write to me..." I tried to continue, but my voice cracked and my eyes were starting to blur. Christ, why was he making me do this? "Please, I need to stop..."

Draco nodded and sighed. I recognized the slight quirk in his lips.

"Are you trying not to smile, you sadistic bastard? You're smirking bigger than a cheshire cat!"

"I knew you missed me." Draco blurted, chuckling.

I yanked his hands away from my face. "You arse!"

"And who said I didn't miss you?"

I halted, taken aback. "You did?"

Draco nodded, shrugging. A mischevious smile played his lips. "I wouldn't have asked you those questions if I had any doubt that I didn't feel the same way as you."

My heart thumped violently. "Then why didn't you write?"

"I wanted to, but being in the Manor is like being in another world. Essentially, I was trapped."

"You're absolutely full of shit, Draco. In no way, shape, or form, did you miss me as much as I missed you." I said seriously, but I couldn't keep the small tremble out of my voice. Draco scoffed.

"And what makes you say that?"

"Well for one, you can't even say it!"

"Neither can you!"

"Yes, I can. _I missed you_. There." I admitted defiantly. Draco shrugged again, raising a brow. The moonlight hit his face at the perfect angle.

"Well, there are other ways to prove it."

"Like what?" I found myself asking, and by the look of Draco's face, I knew I would regret it.

Draco stepped closer, placing my hand gently in his. He looked up at me from beneath his eyelids.

"Hermione. I missed you." He mumured softly. I burst out laughing and tried to back away.

"Are you joking? Out of all the girls in Hogwarts and you're going to try to use your overly praised boyish charm on me –"

"I missed you," He repeated, his voice becoming softer as he came closer.

"Draco, enough –"

"I missed you."

Draco brought up one hand to cradle my face like earlier. Shockingly, it appeared he was actually serious. My eyes widened. His lips rested against the crest of my ear. My hands placed themselves firmly against his chest, but I couldn't gather enough force in them to push him away. His nose brushed mine...playfully? Oh Merlin, I didn't know how to describe it. All I could do was focus on his eyes– those brilliant grey eyes that sometimes turned ice blue...

_I. Missed. You._

Draco's lips enveloped mine like a sheath of ice and heat combined. He moved them slowly, gently against mine, and I lost all of the fight and hurt and fire inside of me. I lost everything except him. We separated, I couldn't tell who'd pulled back first, and I looked back into his eyes. He seemed so...sure. Not expectant, not bothered...just..._sure_.

I didn't need to question anything. I didn't need to be doubtful. For once, there was no pain attached to kissing him, no tears, no ripping or tearing inside my chest.

"Believe me now?" Draco whispered, softly kissing my lips again.

_Yes._

VVVVV

Hello my loves, it's been so long! I apologize as usual, but things have not been well. Recently, a close relative of mine passed away. My dog also died on New Year's D: . I want to dedicate this chapter to everyone who has lost someone, you never know how much time you have with a person, so cherish it.

On a happier note, I finally updated! I know you all wanna punch me in the throat but all I can say is thank you for being so patient with me. How did you like the little Blaise POV I threw in? Once I thought of the scene, I knew it had to be in Blaise's POV because it wouldn't have worked in Draco or Hermione's and everybody loves Blaise! I also love the idea that Blaise and Ginny could've gotten along swell, kind of like a baby Dramione! Maybe it's because I kind of ship them, but not to worry, Blaise and Ginny will be staying with their partners for this fic (:! For any of you who are confused about anything, shoot me a message! Although, I promise you that all the little strings here and there will tie up eventually! Draco and Hermione still have some major things to discuss, but I hope you enjoyed the fluff! Sorry for any typos! I'll try to update sooner this time, but this week I will be attending the FL Thespians Festival, so tell me to break a leg? **Review Review Review, I've missed all of your lovely selves!** Love to all!


	47. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I've missed you all so damn much to even care about writing a witty disclaimer. I don't own hp.

Ch. 47

Soft lips, tender kisses. Blonde hair, light eyes.

How on earth had this even happened?

A few days ago, I'd properly snogged Draco Malfoy. Not for an experiment and certainly not for the sake of the Wizarding World…but because I had willingly…_wanted_ to.

Even after five days, I still had a hard time processing the fact that I'd kissed a Malfoy and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, if only I knew how Draco felt about all this...

Oh, right. We hadn't properly talked since, had we?

I suppose it was my fault. I'd wanted to give him his space and let things mull over in his head for a bit. I would stick to my word, and he'd come to me eventually. Of course, it was rather hard believing that since we shared two to three classes together every day and he hadn't quite looked at me the same since.

So, did I fancy Malfoy now? I bit my lip in thought. Perhaps favor would be a better word to use, and if that was the case, then I suppose I'd favored him for quite a while now. Every_ single_ time I thought of the way his eyes had sparkled curiously before leaning in, my heart shuddered and leapt weirdly...my stomach churned!

_"I **missed** you..." _–

"Have you got the answer to question seven yet?" Ginny pestered, tapping her quill on the desk tiredly.

"It's option two," I quipped back immediately, not even glancing at the paper. I'd finished twenty minutes ago, and while waiting for the rest of the class to catch up, I'd gotten lost in my thoughts. _Very _lost. Ginny nodded her head in thanks and was quiet for the majority of two minutes before sighing. "Merlin, I miss Harry…we've barely gotten to spend any time together this week! I honestly hope you never have to experience the feeling."

I smiled dryly in agreement before looking away in thought.

_Too late. _

VVVVV

"For the love Merlin, will you catch the damn snitch!"

"Fuck you, Pucey." I growled, turning sharply on my Nimbus. As if I didn't know I was letting the whole team down? Fuck's sake, here we were preparing for Monday's match and I couldn't yank my thoughts away for two seconds!

"One more fuck up, just _one_ more Malfoy, and I'm dropping you from the game!" Pucey roared angrily, squinting up at me from his spot on the grass. A monstrous rage ripped through me then, and it took everything and more to keep from grabbing a Beater's bat and doing his head in. The snitch passed Blaise's head and began to circle around one of the quaffle rings.

_Think, Draco. Focus._

Another swift turn sent me hurtling towards the ring. If I aimed indirectly, I could suffer a horrible injury. Surprisingly, I was willing to risk it just so I wouldn't have to hear Pucey's whining. Luck seemed to be on my side, and I was fast enough to reach out and catch the snitch with the flick of my wrist. The horn blared, and I sighed in relief, beginning to lower myself closer to the ground.

"Finally, dammit! Took you long enough!" Pucey groaned, before turning to the rest of the team. Blaise shot me an apologetic look, but frankly, I couldn't give less of a damn what Pucey thought. Without asking, I began to march back to the castle.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Pucey asked. I smirked, curling my gloved hands into fists to prevent myself from tackling him.

"McGonagall wanted to see me, actually. She said she'd be patient enough to wait until this bullshit practice was over...I take it you don't have a problem with that? Because if we're being honest here, you can't." I smirked.

Pucey turned an ugly shade of beet red and waved me away, obviously flustered. Stupid sod couldn't even tell when I was lying! I chuckled to myself as Blaise smirked back. I turned on my heel again. A nice hot shower and a short nap sounded heavenly right now.

Entering the castle, I sighed loudly and closed my eyes for a moment. A stupid decision, I kept walking through the empty hallway. Turning the corner, my boot smashed into a corner of stonewall and pain shot through my right foot.

"Fucking Christ!" I yelled loudly, letting out a fluid stream of curses as I leaned down to check my foot.

"Hey! You should know that those words are prohibited! You there, I'm speaking to you!" Someone's voice shrilled bossily. Brilliant...just _brilliant_.

I turned to snap at the person, but when Hermione entered my view I paused momentarily. Anger was still evident in her eyes, but as she realized it was me, they softened and became slightly timid.

"Oh?" She said, sounding puzzled.

"Fancy seeing you here, Granger." I muttered, limping slightly towards her. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights, which was some odd Muggle phrase she'd once said was used to represent people who didn't know what to do with themselves. It was strangely intruiging, the way her curls framed her face messily, and the way her chest moved with each exhale...she looked like she'd been running.

"Draco, those words aren't fit for a Head Boy to use during school hours...or at all, really." Hermione grimaced, her nose wrinkling slightly.

"Don't be so prude. Oh, and it's nice of you to check up on me," I muttered sarcastically. Why was she acting so indifferent? I didn't know what I'd been expecting, but it was certainly more passionate than this! She seemed bored and ticked off...I hated it! Why wasn't she nervous around me? I hated to admit it, but since that extremely forward and not to mention..._tender_ moment we'd had outside, I'd expected different behavior from her.

Her brows crumpled slightly in concern. "Draco...your leg," she said softly, coming closer to me. "What happened?"

_There we go..._

_"Oh, I was just being a prat and walked straight into a limestone wall. No big deal, honestly!" _

"I...er...tripped." I mumbled. "More like, the wall walked into me."

Hermione giggled, her eyes shining up at me like two perfect pots of melted chocolate. No. Brown eyes were ugly! They were dull, especially Hermione's, seeing how they were the exact shade of potting soil and mud. They were hard to look into, really.

"And I thought only the staircases were capable of doing that..." she smiled coyly. Dammit, why was it so hard to look away from her lips? They were perfectly pink and plump, and soft, and perfectly curved –

"You were wrong then..."

Damn it all, I wanted to kiss her so badly...I couldn't just stand there! It felt like magnets were pulling my body closer to hers...I didn't want this! Still, I couldn't help but get closer.

"Um...Draco, if you're hurt you should see Madam Pomfrey –"

"I'm fine." I said quickly. I couldn't say anything else, and I didn't know if it was because I couldn't fight my urges or if I'd forgotten how to speak. Without another word, I turned away and walked as swiftly as I could on my aching ankle, leaving a puzzled Hermione in my wake.

VVVVV

After that extremely awkward encounter, I hadn't expected Draco to approach me again that same day. I was still thoroughly embarrassed, so I didn't know what to do when he approached me in the library after dinner. I'd been looking through a few books in the Herbology section when I heard rustling and footsteps behind me. Thinking it was a student, I cheerily turned to help them, but instead was greeted by Draco's nose inches away from mine. It was rather intimidating, and I looked up to see him regarding me with a blazing look his eyes. Was he upset?

"Draco, hi –"

I didn't get to finish that sentence, or even a proper hello. Draco's lips smashed against with mine with such force that I was knocked into the bookshelves. One of his hands snaked around my waist to soften the blow while the other raised up above me to sheild my head from a few of the books that had fallen. Too shocked to move, I'd forgotten to breathe. Still not adjusted, my hand had just began to reach up to caress his face when he pulled away.

"Uh..." I breathed, the only sound of acknowledgement I was able to get out over our panting. Draco looked down at me, our noses bumping softly. My heart burned at the contact. The skin of his face under my fingertips felt slightly damp. The burning in his eyes had died down. He seemed to be in a fair bit of disbelief.

"I...–"

There was a sharp rustling noise of a paper being thrust into my hand, and before I could even look at it, Draco had disappeared. I watched in tired shock as he strode through the large doors as calmly as he could before vanishing into the hallway. My body felt boneless, and I sank to the floor, landing on a pile of fallen books with a small thump. I sat in a daze for a moment, before remembering the paper. I uncurled my fist, revealing the balled up, crinkly note.

Spreading it out on my lap, the paper became as smooth as a new piece of parchment. It was folded once over. I recognized the fancy scrawl instantly. The cover read:

_Hermione, read alone._

_- D.M._

VVVVV

_One hour prior to the library incident – _

My ankle burned as I sat in my quarters, staring blankly at the piece of parchment in front of me. What was I even doing?

Somewhere between seeing Granger on the way and actually getting here, I'd decided that if I couldn't voice what I was feeling, then I would release it through writing. That was a therapeutic thing, wasn't it? Nothing but scribbling after a nice shower? Merlin, maybe I'd really gone mad after all.

The tip of my quill hit the paper before I was ready, leaving a single dark point.

I began scribbling what seemed like complete and utter nonsense, but as soon as I'd started, it was impossible to stop. I don't know how long I sat at my desk, but when I was finally through, my wrist burned almost as much as my injury.

I didn't even want to look at it, what I'd written. But this was all part of the process, wasn't it? I'd forgotten who'd told me about this bullshit technique, but I would admit that I felt slightly better. Glancing down, my eyes settled and began to read.

_Granger._

_Hermione Granger. Damn it...Damn you. I'm not prepared, and I haven't the slightest clue what I'm doing, but if I did, I'd want you to know that everyday I find it harder to be around you. There are days when I wonder "Merlin, what the fuck are you doing to me", but there are also days when I find it even more difficult to stand not seeing you. I don't know how you've done it (and please don't share your secret), but...you've gotten through to me...I think._

_I miss you, even when you're not around. Scratch that, I sound delirious, and not to mention, like such a fucking, sodding, wankering, pansy. I miss you even when you're standing right next to me. Maybe it's because I can't hold you, or tell you all of this in person because of what I've mentioned above – _

_Merlin, do you have any idea what you've done? Seeing you makes me feel lighter... bloody infinite, actually. Like, maybe I'm not as bad as I make myself out to be. Christ, you take away my fears. You secure me to the ground with just one look from those curious, inquisitive eyes. This isn't a love letter (for your bloody information). I've never written one of those and probably never will, but...I just wanted. Fuck, I just wanted you to know this. To know that I want you. Knowing you, you're probably too busy moaning and groaning over the horrendous positioning and grammar errors of this letter to even properly register what I'm saying, but I don't care. This is for me more than it is for you._

_I think about you alot...probably more than I could ever say, or admit to. You come into my head and refuse to leave...but I've learned to cope with it...and if I'm being honest, enjoy it._

_I'm going to make this short, because if I don't I'm afraid I'll just blabber absolute sodding nonsense and make myself out to look like more of a sod than I already am._

_If you're not planning on punching me in the face, meet me behind the Quidditch pitch right before the match...I'd like to settle this before the game begins so that I'm not distracted, because believe me, I will in no way let myself lose to Gryffindor pondering over a piece of ridiculous parchment such as this one._

_- D.M._

Signing the letter quickly, I slipped it into an envelope and tied it to Nox's foot, preparing to send it away. Midway through the process, I paused, lips caught between my teeth. This wasn't what I wanted to do at all! What type of message would that give her, that I didn't even care enough to hand it to her...I certainly wasn't ready to confess these things aloud, but I would make damn sure Hermione received this from me _personally_.

Finding new adrenaline, I snatched the parchment off of Nox's foot and headed to where I knew the bloody Muggleborn would be, where she could always be found...

The Library.

VVVVV

I folded the letter as gently as I could, my fingers trembling violently. My teeth grazed my bottom lip and I winced – I'd rubbed it raw.

_Oh God..._

What had I just read? And why, oh sweet Merlin _why_, were my lungs burning? Everything I touched felt like it had just surfaced from invisible flames. I suddenly choked, letting in a much needed gust of air into my system. I hadn't been breathing since I'd started reading, I realized, understanding why everything in my sight had become hazy...but now things were beginning to spin!

"Oh God..." I whispered aloud this time, feeling an inner panic attack coming. I felt faint, but I forced myself to grip onto the scalding bookshelf in front of me and prop myself against in, leaning on my knees now. No one would find me for who knows how long if I passed out now, I thought, forcing myself to take in greedy gulps of icy air that were quite possibly colder than the weather outside. I finally found the strength to stand, still leaning generously against the column.

There were so many things I wanted to do at that moment, and many of them were things I knew I shouldn't.

And Draco, why had he chosen to do this now? When I had finally just become accustomed to feeling romantically towards him and possibly knowing that he would never seeks the same feelings from me? Why had I thought that? More importantly, how had I been so...wrong?

Unrequited feelings, I could deal with that! But _this_...

Had he seen it written all over my face? Had Draco seen my heart thrumming through my chest whenever he made an appearance? What had set him off? What had caused him to confess how I made him feel? He was right, it wasn't a love letter, certainly not...but...it was enough.

More than enough, actually.

He..he _wanted_ me.

"_Draco_," I breathed, letting my head hit the spine of a book on my exhale. "What am I going to do with you?"

A splotch of wetness ran down the side of my nose, given my tilted head. I smiled tearily, turning the parchment in my hand lightly, like it was a rare flower with thin, delicate petals.

I couldn't help but feel like I had waited for this.

VVVVV

Monday came, after it seemed like an eternity.

While I hadn't told Ginny about the incident in the library or the letter, she'd been giving me the most suspicious looks and I had no other reason but to believe that it was because I hadn't been able to wipe away my massive smile for the past day and a half.

Draco had been nowhere to be seen this weekend, and I had succesfully avoided searching him out during dining periods. For once, it was what I wanted. I wanted to surprise him, and show no confirmation that I had accepted his invitation to meet him behind the pitch. I don't know why, but I did. The anticipation made my sides hurt, like I was breathing through needle-filled pipes. Nevertheless, I kept beaming.

I attempted to do something with my hair for once, settling it into the crook of my shoulder in a windswept braid. The cold did wondrous miracles on my hair, as per usual. Today it had begun to snow unexpectedly. We hadn't had snow all through Christmas, and now white, fluttery pieces of snow rained down as if the clouds were being grated to create them. The whiteness was nearly blinding, I noted, but it was was nothing short of beautiful.

Running my gloved hands down to smooth my warm clothing, I gave myself a once over in the mirror before exiting my quarters.

VVVVV

The walk to the pitch was rather entertaining, as it was good to see classmates debating, some playfully and some not, over who would win the match. I enjoyed seeing the Houses interact with each other, especially the two most headstrong houses, Slytherin and my own. The Slytherins that were usually way too quiet to speak out were brawling with Gryffindors over the match. The most amusing part was watching the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws get caught in the mix. Many of the younger students looked like deer caught in headlights, but some of them also attempted to act like their older peers and make bets. It reminded me of when the Weasley twins had done so, and how I would have to catch and reprimand them every game.

After conversing with few classmates since I had been sure to steer clear of Ginny – I felt bad because she would want me to support her and Harry before the game, but there would've been no way for me to meet Draco – I slipped away while everyone began to climb into the stands. I began to trot around the rounded form of the back of the bleachers, until the tents where teams retrieved their equipment came into view. Peering around the corner to make sure no one saw, I snuck over to Slytherin's side and began to search for Draco. There were no players as they were probably still preparing.

Perhaps I had been too late?

"I should've come earlier," I grumbled to myself, cursing mentally. I turned to make my way back when I was suddenly yanked swiftly into the Slytherin team's tent.

"Wha–" I prepared to scream, but Draco turned me in his arms effortlessly.

"Fancy seeing you here," Draco smirked, taking in my Gryffindor scarf wrapped snugly around my neck. He lifted a hand to gently play with a fabric. I could feel a flush on my neck and chest at our close proximity, Draco's nose dangerously close to brushing against mine while he observed the fabric. His deep blue-grey eyes sparkled mischeviously as he looked up at me, hiding his dismay, albeit badly.

"Lovely display of House pride, by the way." He studied my blushing expression, obviously hiding another smirk. "I'm glad you came." Draco said quietly.

I glanced at him through my lashes, unable to voice anything. Draco smugly stared back, and dear Merlin, there was something incredibly sexy about the combination of the way he lightly pursed his lips while glancing every so often at mine.

"Something you need to say? Cat got your tongue, Hermione?"

Draco smiled roguishly at me again, and damn, there was the urge to punch him again. My eyebrows furrowed together frustratedly. I responded hotly, becoming annoyed. How was he able to act so differently each time?

"Oh don't be so bloody proud, you know exactly –"

Draco's lips caught mine urgently as he held my chin lightly with curled fingers, using his other hand to pull on my scarf gently, bringing me closer. I forgot how to breathe again as his tongue swiped my bottom lip briefly before I gave him full access to my mouth. Our tongues swirled together, and Draco tasted like warm cinnamon and mint. I didn't realize that I was clinging to the front of his Quidditch robes until the horns blared loudly, telling everyone to be ready for the game to begin.

Draco pulled away softly, seeming lost for a minute before his light eyes went wide. "Shit!" He muttered, pulling away from me more roughly than he would've liked.

"Sorry about this –" He started, hurriedly grabbing his broom.

"Go!" I nudged him, as I heard Pucey's call his name in a roar.

Draco nodded urgently before surprisingly pecking me. "After," He promised, assuring me that we would actually get the chance discuss the bizarre ongoings of our relationship after the match.

"Good luck!" I blurted out before thinking. Draco looked back in surprise, smirking when he saw how I wanted to take it back.

"Good to see you're finally on the right side," Draco winked, vanishing through the tented opening. Seconds later, the horns blared again, indicating the match had finally begun. The cheers were nearly deafening.

Standing alone in the tent, I took a hand to my mouth, brushing my fingers gingerly across the spot where Draco's last peck had landed.

I hadn't expected it in the slightest.

VVVVV

Head in a frenzy, I headed up to the bleachers and joined my House. The screams and cheers egging the players on was bindblowing, and I couldn't help but feel the energy begin to rub off on me, even in my dazed state. I found Harry immediately as he zoomed high into the sky, dark hair fluttering in the cold wind as he searched for the tiny snitch. My vision blurred as the players passed the bleachers, but I cheered them on. I couldn't help but feel incredibly proud of everyone on the Gryffindor team, knowing they'd worked extra hard this term on maintaining their winning streak. Looking around, I saw Dean glance at me for a moment, his broom hovering, unmoving as other players zoomed past him. I looked away instantly, not knowing how to react, especially after what had just happened with Draco in the tents. By the way he was looking at me, I felt like he could see it written in my face. We hadn't spoken since I'd promptly ended our date by disapparating, but what could I have said to fix things?

Slytherin scored then, putting them in the lead. I glanced to the left, and unfortunately met eyes with an angry Ron, a letdown Harry, and a curious, blazing Ginny. They all shot me distinctly unpleasant looks before re-positioning themselves. Ron stared at me in angry disbelief from his spot in front of the hoops, then sent a glance to Harry I honestly wish I hadn't seen. I looked away confusedly. Things were obviously still tense with Ron and I, but what did it have to do with this game? Something was definitely off, as the amount of dirty looks I'd recieved since coming into the stands was just...uncanny. Merlin, even some Slytherins were shooting me strange looks!

And why did I suddenly feel like the two teams on the pitch were not the only ones giving me looks? I had felt people's eyes on me and the slight hush that had ensued minutes later when I had arrived, but I had assumed that to be only normal since I was usually the one to stop foolish behavior going on in the crowd before it had the chance to go to far! Were people in shock because I was simply letting things slide? For Godric's sake, even McGonagall, who sat in the teacher's stands had begun to shoot me waried looks, her mouth tied tightly into a wry smile. All the while, Draco was nowhere to be seen, and I was beginning to get the feeling that this had something to do with him. Had someone seen us and announced it aloud? Gossip in Hogwarts spread like wildfire, so you could never really be too sure...my stomach flipped inside out at the thought. Draco hadn't even been ready to confess his words to me without parchment, and to have people know that we were going around..._embracing_ would hardly help the case!

What the Hell was going on?!

"Er, Hermione?"

"What!?" I snapped waspishly, turning my head sharply. Neville had managed to push through the crowd to find me, Luna's lion-pawed hand draped lightly around his. She was wearing her Lion's head again, complete with pawed mittens. Half of Neville's face was crimson while the other half was doused in gold paint. At any other moment I would've smiled warmly at the couple's extreme House pride – even with Luna in Ravenclaw – but I was too irritated to do so.

Luna smiled at me warmly, her seemingly all knowing expression beginning to bother me. "Hello, Hermione." She said cheerily, apparently unaware to how cold it was, her pale cheeks remained flushed but her lips were practically blue.

"Hi, guys," I replied, trying to wash away the awkward air that my snappiness had left with a friendlier tone. "Enjoying the game?"

"Oh, it's brilliant, even though Gryffindor _is_ losing," Luna shrugged nonchalantly. "Apparently my Lion isn't bringing in enough twiddle-beed hornets to harvest good energy. Slytherin is playing marvelously though...I suspect that the hornets are being attracted to the teams green outfits – oh look, there they go again!" Luna cheered in her piped up voice, bringing up a paw to point at the pitch where Pucey was cheering almost violently with victory as they scored again. Ron looked murderous. Neville let out a groan, cupping his face in his hands briefly before sighing. "I'm actually starting to think there's no hope for us!"

"Neville," I said in all seriousness, "It's only the first quarter! We've still got time to catch up! Gryffindor team won't let their winning streak just slip out of their hands!" I smiled, looking out proudly to glance at our rather disgruntled team.

"Well that's a strange thing for you to say, Hermione." Luna piped up again, this time putting on glasses that resembled Spectre-Specs, except that they were slightly larger and the most putrid shade of orange I'd ever seen. Neville didn't seem to notice, now practically hanging over wooden post, cheering his heart out.

"Why's that?" I asked curiously. Luna's all-knowing smile returned, her lips now positively tinged with purple.

"Well, assuming from your scarf, I'd say you'd favour Slytherin winning this match." Luna said calmly, touching my scarf as Draco had done earlier. "I've never seen you in emerald before, you look lovely!"

I went to protest, and possibly make a waspish remark about how her ridiculous glasses were distorting her vision, but halfway to it,I glanced down through my peripheral and nearly choked. Luna was absolutely right. Sitting snugly around my shoulders and coiled up around my neck like a serpent lay a Slytherin scarf striped with the customary silver linings. Unable to speak, my eyes shot through every member in the sky until I found a blonde head that nearly blended in with the snow around him. Draco seemed to have forgotten about the snitch then, hovering on his broom as he observed my reaction. His lips quivered and he winked before disappearing into the snow again.

"Draco!" I wanted to scream in rage, but I settled for biting my lip so hard I tasted copper, promptly yanking the horrid fabric away from my neck. My body screamed for its warmth as I shoved it harshly into my bag as fast as I could. I fixed the feeling of needles on my neck with a quick wandless warming charm before silently turning to Luna and performing one on her. I couldn't bear to watch her knowing smile grow even wider, the flesh of her lips turning comfortably pink again in relief.

VVVVV

I bounded on the corner of the pitch as soon as the game was over. Slytherin had won by a landslide to make things worse, and I didn't stay to hear the groans or see the letdown, furious faces of my team. Walking with purpose, my boots stomped on the small wildflowers and grass that had valiantly attempted to survive the cold winter and packed snow. My feet descended on them and left them withered and smashed. I certainly hoped Malfoy knew what was coming for him. I turned on my heel and marched towards the tents again. As promised, Draco had waited for me while his team had descended into the dungeous for a no doubt raucous celebration. I made a mental note to appear unexpectedly down there sometime tonight and put a stop to the drunken raving.

With his back turned to me, leaning his broom against the side of the tent, Draco was pushed, rather nudged at my lack of strength, into the outer wall of the tent. A few organized brooms clattered and fell onto the icy grass, and Draco swore.

"You arse!" I yelled as he turned to face me. Draco's eyes brightened and his trademark smirk fell into place instantly. He seemed intrigued, to my dismay.

"Ah, come to give me a congratulatory kiss, Granger?" Draco said, holding his arms out to me. He was still in his uniform, not even getting the chance to take off the leather padding that rested on his forearms and shins. I took in the way he looked greedily, hair deliciously tousled from all the windplay, skin warmly flushed from effort. Melting snow and probably sweat was dripping down from a few strands in his light hair, darkening them. He was completely and utterly...well...breathtaking.

"What? No!" I scofffed, spluttering. I kept going, ignoring the look of feigned hurt in his eyes, wondering if there was a possibility that he wasn't faking. Not a chance!

"Why would I ever do that, you– you evil little –"

"Cockroach? Oh, please tell me we're not going to try this one again," Draco rolled his eyes. I wanted to say that I would gladly try punching him in the face again, but I turned to walk away.

"Hermione." Draco said calmly, catching my hand and pulling me closer to him. I couldn't say that I tried my best to pull away, either.

"Don't." I muttered as he reached a hand up to toy with my braid. He was being terribly affectionate today, and it was so out of the ordinary that I didn't know how to express it back. I kept trying to contain the buterflies in the box of my stomach, but they didn't last a minute without emerging again.

"Don't what?" Draco said back, eyes softly meeting with mine. His expression was hard, but his voice felt like silk as it ghosted over my ears.

"Wow, you really are good at this, aren't you? Bringing girls into your trap." I sighed, fighting the urge to catch pieces of his soft hair between my fingers.

"So it _is_ working," Draco said, and I wondered if it was more for him than for me. Maybe it was a joke. Ignoring the statement, I spoke again.

"Do you have any idea what I've had to go through for the past two hours? I hope you enjoyed your little trick, because I'm never trusting you again." I scolded. Deep inside, I wanted to ask what the deeper meaning of what he'd done was supposed to be – Draco didn't just do things for the sake of doing them, I'd learned – but I didn't dare. I just hoped that it would present itself soon. Draco shrugged.

"I was just having a bit of fun at your expense, nothing else. It did bring me good luck though!" He grinned, leaning back slightly when he saw the fire in my eyes, burning through his face with the heat of a thousand suns.

"Well, I'll have you know that I didn't find it the least bit amusing! You're cruel!" I spat back, wanting to walk away that very second. I didn't mean it. It's not like I could anyway...not when he looked this intriguing. Plus, Draco's fingers were still lightly holding mine, and I knew he wouldn't just _let_ me go...

"I was completely serious about that congratulatory kiss, you know," Draco remarked softly, not letting my eyes leave his. At that, I glanced down at his lips, those pink, soft, perfect lips –

_Fuck you_, I wanted to say out loud. Why was he doing this? Why did he insist on testing my boundaries? I wanted to clear my throat, but the silence was so prominent that I knew if I did it would destroy this moment, and I didn't know when I would get another opportunity. I didn't care about the match. I didn't care that Slytherin had won by a landslide and that my own House and best friends were sulking up in Gryffindor tower...All I cared about was this moment, and the fact that Draco was actually being vulnerable enough to let _me_ kiss_ him_.

Silence slowly fading, I tilted on my tiptoes and pressed my lips gently against his, feeling the soft, warm skin brush against mine. This was only the second time I'd initiated a kiss with him, the first time being in the bathroom that had started this all...

Butterflies now crawling up my throat, I went to pull away but was stalled when Draco wrapped a padded arm around me tightly, pulling me closer, his lips enveloping mine perfectly. Draco let out a soft, barely audible groan and my knees gave out, leaving me to wrap my arms around his neck. I didn't know what was happening, all I knew was that I _loved_ it. Draco's lips slanted against mine with impeccable precision, and his warmth enclosed me. It felt better than usual – like I'd actually been made to fit in his arms...

"What the_ fuck_?" A loud voice growled, and my body shot away from Draco's so fast I almost lost my footing. I knew that voice anywhere, regardless of whether or not I could see the face.

"Shit," I heard Draco say under his breath, looking clearly disoriented as I was. Ron stood a few paces away from us, broom slung over his shoulder in his now limp hand. His other was curled into a tight fist, the skin stark and pale against his reddish freckles. It was the look on his face that made me want to run – a looked tied up somewhere between disbelief and utter disgust.

"Ron, no, no –" I tried to make my way towards him, but he stuck his hands out to shield himself from me immediately, dropping his broom. It thudded softly against the packed snow on the grass to join the rest. The gesture hurt me more than his expression, and a fiery sting lashed at my heart like someone had taken a knife to it.

"This isn't what it looks like! I swear –"

"How are you even going to stand here and_ try_ to explain this, Hermione? To try and defend _him_?!" Ron yelled so loudly that I flinched. "Merlin, I _knew_ there was something going on, Harry and Ginny didn't believe me when I tried to tell them –"

"No, Ron, you _can't –_"

"– And here's the fucking proof! Merlin Hermione, do you know how pitiful this makes you look? And to think I tried to make things work with you!" Ron gritted, both hands now balled up into fists.

"Ron, _please_," I begged, my eyes burning with unshed tears. But Ron was past the point of listening – and why would he need to listen anyways? He'd been right all along, and now here was the proof that he needed...there was absolutely nothing I could do to change this. I'd been caught redhanded.

"Save it, Hermione. Do you know how many chances I've given you? I've been standing right here the whole time, for years, actually! Not that you've noticed! First Dean, and now Malfoy? Bloody Hell, your standards are plummeting." Ron sneered, clearly unable to stop himself.

"And what would make them better, if she chose _you_? Hardly." I heard Draco speak up behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know that he was close to brimming with rage. I could nearly feel the heat radiating between the two tall boys. I was small and worthless in the middle. Unnecessary, really.

"Draco, not now!" I hushed, trying to get him to shut up before Ron got angrier. If he could just let me handle this...he didn't understand Ron the way I did, and his remarks would do nothing but enrage him more. But of course, that had to be what Draco wanted. He got an insane amount of satisfaction from just provoking people.

"You stay out of this, you pompous, inbred git!"

"I'd rather be that that a lowly, poor, inbred arse!"

_Too late._

It was almost as if the two had forgotten about me as they fought each other, sending incredibly cruel remarks to each other so easily, one would've thought they'd waited been waiting their entire lives to do this. They were prepared for it, and it was disgusting to watch.

"_Enough_, both of you!" I shrilled, managing to push them a few feet away from each other. I was positively blazing now, the tears gone. "I know first years who are more mature than this! Why can't we all just swallow our pride and try to sort this out?"

"Because, Malfoy would kill himself trying to, selfish git!" Ron spat, yanking my hand away from his chest as if he'd been burned. Draco snorted.

"Correction, I'd kill myself before trying!" He sneered back, pulling my hand away as well.

"Honestly, you two are just making this ten times more difficult!" I growled, growing incredibly impatient. I didn't want to lose my will to understand, but it was just so hard with the both of them yelling over me and the constant stinging in my eyes beginning to blind me.

"Just stay out of this, Hermione." Ron snarled, elbowing me away so that I stepped backwards shakily. I felt Draco's fingers lightly grip the side of my arm before I pulled away. I didn't want the gesture to make Ron think I was choosing sides.

"Oh brilliant Weasel, really. Always attempting violence, aren't you?" Draco laughed darkly, looking Ron up and down condescendingly. "But maybe there's one thing you should know before you start pouting and pointing fingers."

"And what would that be?" Ron hissed. A giant, serpent-like smirk overtook Draco's face, and my nerves thrummed, swirling dangerously and making me nauseous.

_Draco, **please...**_

"_She_ kissed _me_." Draco said quietly, smugness plastered to his face, eyes alight.

There was a slight hitch of breath, whose I didn't know – before Ron's fist collided with Draco's jaw, disfiguring the smirk as Draco's face crumpled in angry agony.

"No!" I choked out, but it was too late. A flash of green blurred in front of me as Draco tackled Ron and pushed them both down onto the ground with an icy thud. Their robes melded together, and as I tried to stop them, I couldn't tell who I was grabbing. My fingers burned as they clutched at pieces of fabric and flesh. I hastily reached for my wand when I realized they wouldn't hear me over their animalistic growls, and cursed aloud. I'd left it upstairs the one time I actually needed it.

I bounded onto a pair of shoulders then, screaming bloody murder as I tried to pry them away from each other. It was futile, as I began rolling around the floor with them, my helpless attempts to stop them with my own body not withstanding against their rigid ones.

"Get off of him!" I shrieked, not knowing which boy it was directed to. "Enough, please, you're going to hurt –"

I felt my neck crack at the impact seconds later as an anonymous padded fist came into contact with my face. My throat let out a free noise as I keeled backwards, my body unable to balance as my head spun. My head touched the icy grass, I heard Draco yell in panic, _"Now look what you've done!"_ and my eyes rolled back, silencing everything into darkness.

VVVVV

Since when was grass so warm in January? When had it started to feel so soft? Almost like blankets...–

My head snapped up and I groaned, not ready for the hazy vision or the throbbing pain that hit my face like poison. As my head hit the strangely soft and warm grass again, I heard comforting shushing coming from my left.

"Don't move, Hermione. It's just me." I heard Draco say, his voice sounding oddly full, like his throat had been clamped shut. He came into my view then, sensing my panic. I wished he hadn't.

Draco's face was flushed, breaths coming through a swollen, split bottom lip. There were various bloodied scratches lining his face, but the one that particularly disturbed me was the one above his pale left eyebrow. Blood had clotted there making the faint hairs turn pinkish as they dyed themselves in blood. There was also a nasty looking split straight across his right cheekbone, but thankfully it was smaller. I reached up to touch that one, tracing one finger around the gash and pressing against it. Draco flinched, hissing slightly. I took my fingers back, and if I'd had the energy to smirk I would've done so. A faint blot of Draco's blood sank into my fingerprint like it belonged there.

Funny, I thought. Draco wouldn't have even let me touch him if we hadn't started being friends – and now his blood was trying to mix with mine. I turned my palm away, hiding my discovery from him. He had enough to worry about for now. The back of my hand brushed against soft fleece, and my thoughts returned painfully. No grass here.

"Where are we?" I croaked, wincing at the sound of my unused voice.

"Hospital Wing," Draco cleared his throat. "You passed out, so I brought you here..." He shot a weary glance at my face before sighing tiredly and looking down. "You've been out for nearly two hours now."

My heart warmed at the thought of him staying by my side, when he could've very well left after being treated...Draco tucked his bloody lip into his mouth for a moment.

"Why haven't you been treated?" I asked curiously, glancing over the damage, more aware now. "Madam Pomfrey could easily fix you up with a Pepper-Up Potion and some –"

"It's not important." Draco bit out. "I asked that she see to you first."

"But –"

Draco's eyes met mine, silencing the whole room. Guilt showed freely behind slightly glazed eyes, his eyebrows creasing with difficulty and probably pain. I knew he thought all of this was his fault...and I wasn't so sure that it wasn't either, but the look on his face made it so damn hard to be mad at him. As much as I wanted to add my own personalized gash to his face for provoking Ron, his actions said alot more about what he was feeling now rather than previously.

"Ron?" I asked quietly. A small amout of anger and distrust fell back into Draco's expression. He was obviously holding himself back.

"He ran to get Potter after you fainted. He wanted Harry to help him bring you up here and figure out something to tell Madam Pomfrey, but as soon as he was gone I carried you here."

"Draco!"

"Well I wasn't going to just let you pass out and then waste more time before getting you help! What did you expect me to do, run away?" Draco seethed quietly, heat and betrayal not missing his voice. Madam Pomfrey would hear everything if he didn't.

"Draco, no! Of course not!" I hushed back, reaching for his hand at the side of the bed. He let me hold it, but his fingers remained limp in mine, not responding to the soothing circles I was drawing into his skin. That didn't make me let go. "It's just...Ron, he must've panicked. He knows that Harry always helps the situation, so maybe that was the only choice he could think of," I murmured, trying to stay quiet. It's not like my voice would allow itself more volume anyways. "I feel so horrible."

"Should I get Madam Pomfrey?" Draco asked, making to leave his stool.

"Emotionally," I muttered. "Ron didn't deserve any of that."

Draco's face curled into a look of bewilderment and disgust. "And you deserved to get punched in the face and sent to the Hospital Wing? Honestly, you're amazing at giving credit to where it's not due."

I laughed quietly, bearing with the burning in my throat. I stopped when Draco remained serious.

"I just know what it feels like to have your heart in someone else's hands without even realizing it, that's all."

Draco turned to me, giving me an unfathomable expression that I hadn't seen in a while. His steely gaze searched mine, before breaking away slightly. "Same."

I let that simple word linger in the air, desperately wanting him to expand on it. I crushed that hope when he left my gaze completely, opting to look into the nearby fireplace instead. The flames reflected onto his pale face, reminding me of earlier, when I could see nothing but his fiery expression.

"So you can empathize with Ron?" I asked, trying not to sound too hopeful for both of our sakes. His head barely shook once, but I knew exactly what that meant.

_Never._

I bit my lip, trying to save the moment. "Well, we should be out of here soon, right? We're not messed up too bad." I shrugged, before looking at Draco again. I tried to play off the small scratches on his face as if they didn't bother me, when really it killed me to look at them. He simply stared at me, face wrecked with struggle and guilt. Silently, he reached over to the side table and offered me a handheld mirror.

I couldn't believe what I saw. The girl in the mirror looked positively rubbish, hair mussed in a poor, weakened braid, with skin that was beginning to look slightly yellow. But, that wasn't the worst part.

No, the worst part was definitely the round purple and blue blotch decorating the outer part of my right eyelid. I held back the noise I wanted to make, not knowing how to react. The mark the punch had left was just so..._big_.

"Oh," I croaked out weakly, briefly running my fingers over the side of the wound. It stung, and I bit back tears of frustration. Draco shifted audibly in his seat.

"I'm really..."

"Don't," I muttered, not wanting to hear an apology from him simply because I didn't know how I'd react. "Just take it," I mumbled, handing him the mirror. Not two seconds after, Madam Pomfrey came rushing out of her office, and although I blocked out my ability to hear her words, I knew we were both being scolded. It didn't matter to me.

I sighed sadly, glancing at Draco again as he sat silently listening to the bumbling nurse, looking oddly defeated. I closed my eyes and attempted to breathe calmly. The stinging in my face counteracted with the sting in my eyes and I gritted my teeth.

It seemed like we were starting from the beginning again.

VVVVV

Oh wow. I can't even express how good it feels to be able to update again. I also can't even say how sorry I am for taking so long. Life has been pretty stressful these past few months, and between no time to sit down and write, writer's block, and just the crazy happenings of life I haven't had time to give you guys a new chapter! But thankfully, here's one! I've been working on this one for a few weeks now and I really hope you guys enjoy it. Once again, this chapter is dedicated to the readers who have stuck with this story and have been so patient with me! It really makes me want to update faster when I have people giving me positive feedback with the story, and not when people say harsh things to try and provoke me to write faster! But you're all lovely, regardless! As you can tell, I love Draco in his Quidditch outfit, and I had the greatest time writing him in it for this chapter! He's just too sexy in that emerald green! I hope you liked Draco's antics in this chapter, and Ron is back! The both of them just know how to get Hermione going, don't they!? I've had this chapter planned in my head for over a year now, so I'm so excited to finally publish it and have it come to life! I just want to say that no matter how long it takes me to update, I WILL finish this story and I'm never just going to leave it unfinished, because I would never do that to you guys, you've been such faithful readers and deserve to see this till the end! I also don't want to put this story on a hiatus, because I personally hate when authors do that with stories I like because I get afraid that they'll never finish it. That being said, I have no intention of that happening with GHTS, and you have my word that I'll continue this story at all costs, no matter what's happening in my life! You have my word! Sorry for the typos and all that, I try to spot as many as I can during the editing process, but some of those little buggers just slip through anyways. Feel free to ask me any questions and **Review Review Review, I want to hear from all of you! I'd also like to hear your take on my characters: Are the OOC, just right, or somewhere inbetween? **Looking forward to hearing your replies! Love to all! (:


	48. Chapter 48

Disclaimer: Dramione is the ultimate ship. I don't own hp!

Ch. 48

"Fancy a drink, Draco? Stop looking so down, if anyone hasn't it told you yet, we won the fucking match!" Blaise grinned boisterously, shoving a shotglass into my hand. The amber liquid sloshed dangerously. Firewhiskey. I downed the drink quickly, barely reacting to the burning in my throat. The warmth of the liquid seeping down my insides made me feel a bit better...but I still felt like absolute shit.

Not physically, really. Madam Pomfrey had healed me in less than five minutes and my face was very much pristine again, but every time I thought of Hermione's disappointed look as she lay there in that Hospital bed, face half absorbed by that swollen purple bruise, my stomach ached.

"Thanks," I muttered, kind of hoping Blaise would just go away and find Daphne for a good drunken snog. I wanted to be left alone to my thoughts, but I didn't have the will to move from my spot in the corner of the room. I also didn't want to go to my quarters yet, knowing that being completely alone would probably drive me insane at the moment. I watched more people pile into the Slytherin Dungeons. Some of them weren't from our House and were just looking for a good party. As Head Boy I could've stopped them, but it was already some ungodly hour in the morning and everyone was already too drunk for any proper reasoning. Besides, why should I care if they had some fun? Someone needed to, and as long as nothing set on fire and no one died, we'd be fine. And, I was already too busy brooding. I'd been doing so for quite a while now. It was funny looking back, really. A few years prior, I would've been lost in the throng of people in the dark room, probably chatting up some girl whose name I didn't know or care to find out.

Not that certain things had changed. I'd had to turn down about a handful of girls in the past hour alone.

"What the Hell's your problem, mate? Perk up! You're wasting a good night!" Blaise teased loudly over the deafening music. People had started dancing on the furniture, it reminded me of the Winter Ball.

"Blaise, do me a favor? Sober up, or go find Daphne and bother her." I smirked sarcastically before turning back to people watching.

"Ouch. And I can't do either of those - I'm much too pissed, and Daphne's much too angry!" Blaise laughed. When Blaise was drunk, he could never stop laughing. My eyes found Daphne quickly. She was across the room with a small group of her girlfriends, talking animatedly with a drink in her hand. She looked slightly unnerved and it didn't help when she saw me. We met eyes for a moment before she glanced over at Blaise, who waved at her. She rolled her eyes and turned her back to us with an irritated flick of her dark honey hair.

"See? She hates it when I drink, says it makes me too 'rowdy'," Blaise finished with sloppy air quotations. "What is it about girls, mate? Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em, eh?"

Another thing...Blaise tended to get deep when thoroughly intoxicated.

"Like, doesn't she get it? Like...I really do love her mate, I do, but I s'pose she doesn't see it." Blaise frowned almost comically. I couldn't help but acknowledge him then.

"Why do you think that?" I quirked, smirking again.

"I just know it."

"Well, I happen to think you're wrong, mate."

"And what the ruddy hell would you know about love, Malfoy?" Blaise accused, finishing the last few drops of firewhiskey in the medium sized bottle. I shrugged, laughing a little.

"A little more than I let on, I suppose," I grinned wryly. Blaise raised an eyebrow before scoffing hilariously.

"I don't think I'm the only one who's wasted, mate." He laughed, punching my shoulder. Before I could say another word, a new song had started and Blaise had staggered off, claiming how much he "loved that song". I watched him enough to see him clamber onto a table messily, before turning to my thoughts again.

Even drunk, Blaise was probably right. What could I possibly know about love?

VVVVV

"Are you going to tell us what happened or not?" Harry asked me, obviously frustrated. Ginny sat by his side on the couch. I'd been standing in front of them trying to explain what had happened yesterday. I couldn't run away this time, claim I was tired and retreat to my room or anything of the sort.

"Erm...well..."

"Hermione!" The both of them yelled, looking equally annoyed.

"Why are you beating around the bush? It's not like we're going to kill you or anything, we were just worried!" Ginny exclaimed, grasping Harry's shoulder as a silent urge for him to fix his disgruntled expression. Well what the hell did she expect me to say? _'Sorry for worrying you guys, I just happened to be making out with Draco bloody Malfoy behind the Quidditch pitch when Ron decided it would be a good idea to barge in'_ -

"I know, and I'm sorry! You guys have no idea how much I appreciate all the concern...but honestly, I can't -"

"Can't what?" Harry gritted.

"Harry James Potter, will you just let me finish? I can't tell you what happened...because..well, I don't remember it!" I lied through my teeth. I just prayed to Merlin that they wouldn't see right through me.

"Well maybe this can help you remember? Ron came in yelling about how you were unconscious behind the Quidditch pitch by the Slytherin tents. When we came to help, you were gone!" Harry said, struggling to keep calm.

"Why don't you just let me do the talking?" Ginny sighed at him, rolling her eyes. "Do you remember who could've helped you out, Hermione? There's no way you could've walked all the way to the Hospital Wing yourself."

Although I'd been completely unconscious, it was too easy to imagine Draco scooping me up from the snow effortlessly and cradling me from the cold. I pictured it perfectly.

"No recollection whatsoever," I shook my head. I paused, shifting uncomfortably. Harry and Ginny were both staring at me with dagger eyes. "Well, if that's all, I think I'll be going now. I promised I'd meet with Professor McGonagall to talk about...er...class regulations." I lied. Well, technically, it was only half untrue. I was scheduled to meet with McGonagall...next Wednesday. I didn't wait for the couple to object. I darted out of the common room so fast I tripped on my own feet. I was about to push past the portrait hole when Ginny's voice stopped me again.

"Hermione, I know."

I turned slowly, trying not to portray any type of emotion on my face that would give the redhead leverage. "And what _exactly_ do you know, Gin?"

Ginny smirked at me. She was starting to do that quite frequently - maybe she'd been hanging around Blaise more than I thought. "That you're a horrible liar. You might have Harry fooled for now, but you can't fool me. What's going on?"

"Nothing!"

"Hermione Granger."

"Later." I promised her, actually meaning it. I would have to tell Ginny eventually, and I would, when things were finally...settled. A newfound courage settled deep within me as I shut the portrait door on Ginny, silencing her protests. I wasn't going to stand around and let things fall where they may...behavior like that was what had gotten me in this predicament in the first place. No! I was going to take control and figure this all out on my own. I'd figured out what I wanted, and now I was going to get it.

Because damn it, I was Hermione Granger. And I wasn't going to let myself forget that.

VVVVV

Oh, Merlin. I had definitely already forgotten who I was the moment I'd heard his voice.

"Hermione? Hermione, please...just hear me out."

I hadn't intended on skipping dinner that day...I'd just been too distracted with my newfound confidence boost to even consider eating. Little issues seemed to have a surefire way of finding me...especially when I tried to avoid them. I'd chosen to nestle myself into a small alcove where I could start early patrolling the corridors near the houses alone. But I was never really alone, was I?

Following the trail from scuffed dress shoes, jeans, and a sweater that could belong to no one outside of the Weasley clan, my dark eyes met Ron's sky blue ones. I followed the freckles that dusted his nose to the rust colored eyesbrows with were currently furrowed into something seemingly close to despair.

"Ron?" I said, completely startled. My hand went up to cover my bruised eye instantly, before I remembered that Madam Pomfrey had charmed it away. My vision became clouded with Draco's concerned eyes darting over me as the nurse cared for me. Like someone had broken his favorite toy. I locked both hands together, not missing the weirded out look Ron was trying to conceal.

"Hi...Er, you alright?" Ron asked tentatively, tucking a piece of fiery hair behind his ear. His hair had grown out a little, enough to make the pieces at the nape of his neck curl slightly against his skin. I tried not to think about how adorable he was when he sounded concerned, or about the genuine look of regret in his eyes. I tried not to show that I cared too - that I wanted to take him to the Hospital Wing. He'd recovered quickly since yesterday, but he hadn't gotten treated. I could see the faintest cut against the curve of his mouth, and two scrapes on his left cheek. Without a doubt, there had to be bruises beneath his clothes. Ronald was strong, but I'd never seen anything like the fight yesterday.

"Fine. Yourself?" I quipped back shortly. I tried not to sound like I cared, but from the look in his eyes I could tell I was failing miserably. Ron's eyes still contained that sad and angry look that never seemed to leave these days, but the sides of his mouth stopped him from looking as dim.

"I'm alright. Listen...can we talk?" Ron said, scanning me worriedly. I kept my mouth in a thin, grim line.

"Only if it's important."

"It is! Trust me!" Ron said, almost sounding excited. A smile graced his face momentarily. It disappeared when I stood and walked past him.

"In here," I said stiffly, using my wand to silently unlock the classroom nearest to us. I checked the hall before hurrying Ron inside. If anyone else saw this, it wouldn't look good. Once we were both inside, I locked the door and hastily muttered a quick Muffliato. I turned to see Ron observing the room intently, hands stuffed into his pockets. I could tell he was trying to figure out what he'd say...he did that out of habit. I scanned the room once too before addressing him. The room was relatively empty, save for the few single desks that were scattered here and there. Professor Flitwick often used this old Potions room for Choir practice because there was so much space. It was dark, but the many windows in the room made the moonlight seep in better than any standard candle.

"You wanted to talk? Here we are." I stated dryly, crossing my arms customarily. Ron was staring at me weirdly again, it was making me uncomfortable. The heavy look in his eyes made his eyes look glazed over. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was going to burst into tears. I tried not to let that get to me, but I couldn't help but let a small voice crack out the next time I spoke. I was trying so hard to keep it all together and not cry, almost too hard. I watched as Ron's hands balled into fist at his sides. I could see his skin strain against bone in the dark, knuckles turning white. He stared at me longingly for a while, almost as if in wonder.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Ron? I really can't even look at you, do you know that? I -"

I didn't finish the thought, let alone the thought. In a second I was enveloped in complete and utter warmth. It took me a moment to realize that Ron's arms were holding me tightly. I tried so hard to fight it at first, tried to wriggle out of his warmth that seemed to be seeping into me...but I couldn't. Hadn't I been fighting him all this time? Since the beginning of this year all we'd done was fight one another. As much as I wanted to fight him and get back at him for hurting me so badly...the larger part of me wanted to just end it.

I slumped in Ron's grasp, body going limp and nearly falling against his. "Ron, no," I muttered softly against the fabric of his sweater. My now uncrossed hands were beginning to push at his chest. His warmth was beginning to cloud my judgement. "I -"

"Please, 'Mione. I just need you to listen. I could apologize over and over again knowing that it wouldn't make a damn difference in changing your mind...but you know what? I'd do it. I'll apologize as long as you'll hear it. If I could do anything to repair the damage I've made to our friendship I'd do it! But it's too late now, isn't it. I've fucked up everything. But that doesn't mean we can't move forward. I know I've hurt you, I hurt myself in the process. And if you want to hear the truth, it's that I don't want to live without you by my side. Maybe it's taken me ages to realize because I'm a thickhead who doesn't realize things when he should, but damn it, Hermione, you're one of the best people in my life. I don't want to lose you just because I'm an idiot!"

"Please," I croaked out, managing to wriggle away enough to look into his eyes. My heart wrenched painfully as I saw the first thick tear stream down his face. Ron held my face close to his with gentle hands. The warmth of his fingertips seeped into my head as he settled his fingers in my curls. Ron settled his forehead against mine, his soft fringe tickling my hairline. Trembles shot up my spine as our noses brushed. I closed my eyes, it was getting to hard to breathe.

Oh Merlin, no. He couldn't be doing this. He couldn't be doing this! My thoughts stilled softly - but it didn't stop my own voice from blaring into own ears internally. It didn't matter - between the soft 'sorry's' and 'forgive me's' I knew exactly what was going to happen...what needed to happen.

"Jesus, I've been so stupid this whole time. Hermione...I love you."

No!

Soft, slightly wet lips found mine. I couldn't move or breathe. All I could do was open my eyes to watch the tear marks beneath his lashes before moving my mouth against his. I wish I could've said that sparks flew, or that passion found me...but none of those things happened. I didn't feel my heart thrum against my ribcage, I didn't feel that lovely electric sting against my skin as his fingers brought me closer.

I felt nothing but dynamics. The slick, soft feeling of skin against skin and tongue against tongue. He tasted like what I'd imagined since fourth year; like cinnamon and apples and heated warmth. Everything I'd wanted him to be since my feelings had gone from platonic to romantic. I smiled sadly against his mouth. I was trying desperately to feel something, to show myself that all of this hurt hadn't been in vain.

And now, what did I have to show for it?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I let Ron pull away from me when he was ready, even though I was scared of the outcome. When he did, I unlocked my arms from around his neck, not even remembering placing them there in the first place. Ron's fingertips tapped unconciously against my waist. He was staring down at me with a look I'd imagined on him back when I'd been foolish enough to believe that we would actually work out.

Ron laughed slightly, nervously. "You don't have to say it back, you know."

Good. Great.

I smiled sadly, trying to see through my tears. They seemed to multiply when Ron brought a rough thumb to my cheek to wipe them away.

'Thank you...because I can't.' I thought, as I began to hold in the sobs that threatened to break apart my body.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." I breathed into his shoulder, clinging to him. The emptiness inside of me was too much to bear. "I don't...I can't..."

My breaths were borderline hysterical. Ron's warm body seemed to go cold against mine. I didn't wait for a response - I felt as if I'd die if I stayed in the room with him. I did the only thing I knew how to do.

I ran.

VVVVV

How did I have the ability to hurt so many people around me?

My thoughts were a blur as I stumbled around what I was pretty sure was the fifth floor. It was late, that had to be the only reason why the place looked deserted. It was good that the place was empty. I reckoned I looked an absolute mess. The tears hadn't stopped of course...neither had the thoughts of Ron, and the vision of his incredibly hurt and betrayed face. Since then, I'd just been wandering around the dimly lit castle. Some parts were consumed in utter darkness while some areas gleamed with a thousand candles...but it all looked equally dim to me.

"Well, will you look who it is. Shouldn't you be in a wheelchair or something?" A familiar voice drawled teasingly. Draco stepped out proudly from behind a pillar. He was wearing one of those damned, sleek black suits - it was practically all he wore. I couldn't help it, I cursed out loud, except it sounded more like a sob. That seemed to catch Draco's attention. His sharp eyes gleamed knowingly in the darkness. A flash of anger engfulfed them instantly.

"What happened?" He demanded, striding over to me. He touched my face gingerly, and when I tried to jerk away he firmly held me in place. "Seriously, Granger."

He hadn't called me that in a while.

My lip trembled as I stared up at him. "I'm an idiot." I murmured brokenly, reaching up to take his hand away from my cheek. His fingertips brushed my own before linking them. Why did he have to do that? It honestly didn't help - and I hated that he could comfort me just through a simple touch, _especially_ since he didn't have to.

"No, you're not. Don't you dare even try that one." Draco smirked lightly. Even though he smiled, I didn't missed the crease between his brows.

"Worried about something?" I chuckled humorlessly, and I was surprised when he laughed softly.

"Wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't. Now, stop changing the subject."

Anger flared up inside my ribcage, and although it was probably from being overemotional, I still didn't have the will to stop it. I ripped myself away from him immediately. "I'll do whatever I please!" I hissed. "Like you care!"

Draco grabbed me back, turning from gentle to irritated in a millisecond. "Then why the hell am I bothering with you?"

"Beats me!" I shrilled, taking myself away again. It irked me that I could feel his fingerprints leeching into my skin. "I could ask you the same question! One minute you're kissing me and then the next you're cold as ice!"

"Well, don't you realize how confusing_ you_ are?! Merlin's pink panties -"

Soon we were yelling in the emptied corridor at the top of our lungs.

"I'm going to be honest, Draco Malfoy. I can't take this anymore. You and Ronald, you're both just too much! Always so much trouble, always making me feel like utter _shit_ -"

"Don't compare me to _him_!" Draco seethed. He was about to start ranting, I could tell, so I kept going.

"Well, why not? You both make me feel things that I shouldn't!" I nearly screamed. Draco stop mid-sentence. He studied me intently, eyes scanning my face. The only sound between us was the sound of my haggard breaths.

"Like what?" Draco asked quietly, eyes boring into mine intently.

"Sorry?" I asked, unable to process the question. I was too busy trying to recover from the lack of oxygen.

"You said that Weasley and I make you feel things that you shouldn't. What are those things?" Draco repeated, unblinking.

I bit my lip harshly, regretting getting caught up in the moment. "That was nothing."

"You're lying again. Something happened tonight, something you're not telling me." Draco growled. "And, I'm willing to bet my entire Malfoy inheritance that it has something to do with Weasley."

My stomach flipped as a blush the color of cherry tomatoes covered me face to chest. "That's none of your business." I whispered, turning to hurriedly walking away. I didn't know where I thought I was going. Draco's hand shot out like a cobra and grabbed my wrist. His grip was surprisingly gentle, and when I turned to see why I understood. It was almost as if his eyes had glazed over, if I didn't know any better. The crease between his brows deepened.

"Then make it my business." Draco pleaded with me. I knew he hated to do it - he hated begging of any kind. My face softened and my anger simmered down as I looked into his eyes. He looked genuinely worried for me. I'd only seen that look in his eyes about twice, and mostly after my injury.

What would I tell him? That Ron had kissed me and the only reason that I had been unable to recuperate was because of him? That I felt more for him than I was letting on? He had to know that already - Draco was intensely intelligent. We'd stopped kissing each other for the sake of research a long time ago - that much was obvious. Perhaps, if I couldn't explain myself with words...I could explain myself with that.

My hand went to cradle one side of Draco's face as my other hand stayed linked to his. I leaned up slowly - giving him the chance to step back. When he didn't move, I pressed my lips to his briefly - barely letting him catch my bottom lip between his own. Just the brief brush of our lips made my blood tingle. It made my stomach twist and my brain clutter. There was no dynamic to this, to us.

I stared up at him, confused to see that he wasn't utterly disgusted with me, or even disappointed. Actually, I didn't even feel disgusted with myself. The pain that I had caused Ron still pained me heavily, but kissing Draco didn't make me hate myself. I felt...entitled.

"I can't." I answered his previous request. I stared at Draco longingly, clearly trying to show him that I needed time. There wasn't any possible way that I would be able to explain myself verbally at the moment.

"Soon?" Draco asked, even though it was slightly more of a request than a question.

"Soon...I promise." I told him, meaning every word.

VVVVV

HOLY MERLIN RIDING A BICYCLE WEARING PINK UNDERWEAR WHILE EATING A KRISPY KREME DONUT...I have missed you all so much! No but seriously, you guys have no idea. First off, I know that you all want to kill me for literally not updating since last year...that is, all 2 of you that are probably still sticking with this story. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if every last one of you gave up on me updating and thought I lied...I honestly wouldn't blame you. I'm not gonna give you any excuses this time as I usually do, but I AM gonna say that it's so brilliant and great to be back. I know this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but in a way...it was needed...plus I've been working on this single chapter whenever I could for the past few months...haha, I hope that gives you a small sense of how absolutely busy I am! Regardless, as I always say, this story will have it's ending and I won't give up, no matter how long it takes to finish or update, no matter how many months of hiatus I take, I will ALWAYS come back to this story. I'm a girl of my word. I love you all for sticking with this story, and believe me I see your reviews asking me to update, I would never ignore you guys! Sorry for any typos I might've missed! The long awaited Dramione get together is literally so close I can taste it, but that doesn't mean it'll be paradise! You'll just have to wait and see! **Review Review Review!** See you soon guys! Love to all! x


	49. Chapter 49

Disclaimer: If you don't ship Dramione...you're drunk, go home! ;)

Ch. 49

My fingers slid across the silken crimson fabric of my bedsheet to touch him. As usual...Draco wasn't in my bed. He'd never been there in the first place - no matter how much I wanted or wished him to be.

It'd been three weeks. Three solid, miserable weeks without him. Three weeks without his drawling, teasing remarks...Three weeks without that little smirk grazing the outline of his lips. Three weeks without... -

"_Ugh_, just stop it Hermione! There's no excuse in being this foolish! He isn't even your boyf-!"

I stopped myself there, angrily grabbing my comforter in fistfuls before vanishing beneath it. Darkness consumed me, and I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or not. It didn't matter either way.

"_Ha_..._Boyfriend_...Right, Hermione, that's rich." I muttered to myself, beginning to suffocate underneath the cover. Draco Malfoy wasn't my boyfriend...He wasn't _just_ my friend, he wasn't my anything. I guess we'd come to a certain point where we were just..._stuck_. There was a Muggle term for that, Hannah had mentioned it once before...was it 'Friendzone'?

My brain clicked, linking the pieces together.

Yes, that was exactly what were. Friendzoned.

Or maybe I was reading too much into it? Sure we'd kissed a few times but -_ Oh for the love of Merlin, who was I kidding?_

I rolled out of bed, taking half of the bedsheets with me and making a mental note to fix them as soon as I could.

I had to take care of something first.

VVVVV

It was a surprise to find Draco in the Library, the first placed I'd looked. I couldn't lie - seeing him nearly made my heart jump out of my chest. I'd purposefully gone to great lengths to avoid him in order to clear my head. This meant not eating lunch in the Great Hall, making sure we had seperate corridor duties, and walking as briskly as I could through the halls. To my surprise, it had actually worked. Seeing him now was like seeing someone coming home from the airport. The feeling of wanting nothing more but to run directly into his arms was nearly overwhelming, it was something I'd never felt before. Why couldn't I breathe? Was I going to be sick?

As I peered at him through the bookshelves, I nearly slapped myself. I scoffed, the smile still on my face.

"Who would've thought," I muttered to myself, "Sensible Hermione Granger, peeking at Draco Malfoy through a bookshelf like a First Year girl."

I rolled my eyes, inhaling briefly. What did it matter now? I'd taken my time to see if this was what I really wanted - if _he_ was what I really wanted...And this was what I wanted. He was. As hard as it had been to figure that out, it all seemed so simple now.

"It's as simple as that, Hermione. No nonsense, you want him...Now go get him!" I revved myself up. It felt completely idiotic. Without a second thought, I emerged from behind the shelves and began to make my way towards Draco's study table, eyes locked on the lone chair in front of him. My breaths seemed to shift to match my footsteps. The short walk to him seemed to happen in slow motion, while my brain seemed to say "This is it" repeatedly.

It is said that the things in life we anticipate the most never seem to go as planned.

As Pansy's lithe form magically appeared from a few bookshelves ahead and sat in that empty chair, that saying couldn't have had more meaning.

The enviornment dulled to a buzz. Everything blurred. My steps faltered along with my breaths...

And as I looked on, stunned in the middle of the floor, Draco graced Pansy with the most sincere smile I'd seen him give in a while. In return, he was probably given an even more dazzling one by the raven haired Witch herself.

What I wouldn't have paid to have someone grab me by the collar at that exact moment, rather than have had to stumble messily back into the shelves again. I pressed my face against the book spines and inhaled the mildewy scent until I became lightheaded. Then, I waited, listening to Draco's low voice mix in with Pansy's tittery laughter.

I left then, feeling the stupidest I'd ever felt...probably ever.

If only I'd seen Draco's eyes linger sharply over the Library doors, swearing he'd seen a glimpse of unruly curls.

VVVVV

It was a weird feeling, to be able to feel so powerful one moment and so unexplainably helpless the next.

I let my feet decide where to take me, my brain wouldn't work. I couldn't breathe, or even blink. My mind seemed like a broken record uttering the same words over and over again.

_Stupid, Stupid,** Stupid**. _

As everyone knew, I was the smart girl. Always had been. But the whole 'Brightest Witch of Her Age' thing had never applied to Draco. The moment I'd realized that, was the same moment that I'd given nearly every ounce of my power over to him. He puzzled my mind. I never knew what to do or how to act around him, and that was _scary_ to me. I'd never been so unsure of something - of _someone_.

I tried not to cry, not to be weak.

But, that didn't matter. Draco came after me anyway. Like he always did.

"You know...," that familiar voice drawled behind me, "You'd think that all those times you've snuck around as part of the Golden Trio would teach you to make a quieter exit." Draco shrugged, playful smirk tracing his lips. "But...Apparently not."

I froze, an overwhelming rush coming over me. It was close to the feeling that came when someone was chasing you, when you could feel the tiny space in between your body and theirs right before they caught you. I turned on my heel slowly to see Draco standing in the middle of the corridor, utterly relaxed. Blue-grey eyes regarded me intensely in the way that only he could muster. His hands curled in pockets as he shifted his weight, clearly waiting for me to make a move.

So I did.

If you were to ask me whether or not I'd been aware of how or when I'd closed the space between us, I wouldn't have an answer.

Draco caught me instantly, hands firmly holding my thighs. My legs curled around his abdomen.

And I crashed my lips onto his.

VVVVV

***Grins sheepishly and waves* Hiiiiiiiiiiiii! How is everyone? I know you all want to slap me, but I'm back! I told you I'd have a surprise for you before chapter 50, and here it is. And there's more to come, TRUST me. The past few months have been both immensely stressful and exciting for me. I've graduated, and ALOT more has happened. So much, in fact, that I wouldn't even have time to explain it all even if I could. But that's besides the point. I know that I've kept you guys waiting for an agonizingly long time, and I know it can be frustrating, so I just really want to take the time to say thank you to all of you readers, especially the ones who have been extremely polite and patient while waiting for me to update. I really appreciate it, and I love you all so much. If I could hug you all and bake you cookies, I would haha! Also, I know this chapter is sort of short, but I really just wanted to get to the point with it, so it has a purpose!**

**Now, some of you might have realized that I have a new story out. For those of you wondering what the hell I'm talking about, it's a Joker/OC fanfiction called LOCKDOWN, and I've been working on it on some of my downtime (when I wasn't struggling with this beauty of course), so if you want to check that out feel free to do so. Even if you don't really like Batman fics and all that, if you like the style of my writing then maybe you'll fancy giving it a chance! Maybe you could read that while you wait for me to update this! It's up to you! I have a bunch of chapters that have been pre-written for the longest time for LOCKDOWN so I'll be updating that periodically. I'm saying this now so that you all don't think I've abandoned this story for my other. If any of you know me well by now, you know how many times I've said I'll never do that. I mean it! When I write Dramione, I really like to give it my all, and that's why it sometimes takes a long time, especially with writer's block and all that, but don't worry, I'm not leaving this story unfinished. **

**Leave me some reviews as a welcome back? I'd really appreciate it, I miss interacting with all of you! Also, what did you think of Hermione's sudden action to kiss Draco? I'd give her some credit, she was pretty damn brave about it! See you all soon! Love to all! x**


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